The Strange Ways of Destiny
by shulesaddict77
Summary: A one-night stand with a complete stranger. It wasn't supposed to be anything else but it turned out to be so much more.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, I'm glad you can't chase me with a baseball bat around the house because I'm so insane to start another story. But I'm on vacation for two weeks and I intend to finish at least two of my other stories and you don't know my muse. She can be very persistent. Before the finale she was mostly satisfied with one-shots but since Shonda decided to take them away from us, my muse tries to compensate the loss with firing idea after idea at my writers brain. :-)**

**Wow, that's a hell of an A/N. So just let's get on with the story. What if Mark and Lexie would have met under complete different circumstances? Would they've been drawn to each other as well? Would they've fallen in love? Read to find out. :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

He hated Boston almost as much as he hated Seattle, though it could be that he just hated to be at this conference. In his opinion it was just a waste of time. Why should he talk to these ass-kissing people anyway? They were no surgeons, they probably hadn't understood one word he'd said. But Webber had told him that they needed to send one surgeon from Seattle Grace to this conference every year and this year he had been the one who had to bite the bullet. But talking to some managers in suits who didn't know a damn about medicine made him want to smack his head against the wall. They needed the research money. He knew that. But it didn't mean that he had to like it.

She knew it hadn't been her fault. They did everything they could but it hadn't been enough. They'd lost the patient and no matter how often it happened Lexie would never get used to it. It shook her to her core every time, and today was just one of those days. One of those days were she understood why her father had tried to find solace in drinking. She needed to numb the pain. Alcohol seemed to be the best choice.

She didn't have a boyfriend, she couldn't even remember the last time she had sex. She just wasn't the type to mix her personal and professional life. So someone from the hospital was out of the question. Considering her insane work schedule, meeting men was pretty difficult. A few years ago she had been out a lot, hitting bars and night clubs almost ever night she hadn't been on call. But she was thirty-two now and most of the times she was just too tired to go out.

Today was an exception. She didn't know why she had felt the urge to put on a dress and go to an impersonal hotel bar all by herself. Losing a patient just made her realize once again that her life could be over every day. Like Joan's. You just had to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and all could be over.

She was thirty-two with no man in her life and she felt a small fear rising up in her chest that she would never find the right one with whom she could share her life, maybe start a family. Shaking her head over her pathetic thoughts, she gulped down the Tequila shot in front of her, ordering immediately another one.

He picked up his glass and swirled it around so that the brown liquid sloshed against the glass. Maybe he should just go back to New York, reopening his private practice. He was no teacher. Interns and residents, especially interns, annoyed the hell out of him with their stupidity. He had to admit there were a few exceptions but in his opinion they just proved the rule and they never chose Plastics. Like Grey who chose Neuro, Yang who chose Cardio and Karev who chose Peds. It seemed as if all the idiots landed in Plastics and he was tired to put up with them.

Maybe it was really time to go back. He came to Seattle because of Addison and Derek. Addison who he'd thought he loved. He wasn't so sure about that anymore. She went to Los Angeles anyway. And Derek. Well, Addison and his betrayal ruined their friendship forever. They couldn't go back. He tried but it just wasn't the same anymore. Derek was happy with Meredith and he was only the fifth wheel.

As she knocked down the third shot of Tequila, she suddenly caught some movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head. As her eyes fell on the man sitting at the other end of the bar, the warning bells shrilled up in her ears. She wouldn't be surprised if red lights would blink up in her eyes any second.

She didn't know why but she knew the moment she saw him that she wanted him. She wanted him so badly and after the day she just had she just didn't care. It was a bad idea but she didn't care that he was a complete stranger. She didn't care that she wouldn't see him again. She just wanted to have sex. Wanted to forget for one night how cruel real life could be.

She had to admit that it had been a while that she'd laid eyes on such a handsome man. He was definitely a few years older than she but his salt and pepper hair and the scruff on his face made her stomach clench and she threw all caution to the wind. This man was definitely one-night stand material.

She would go to the front desk and take a room. If he would be still sitting at the bar when she came back she would try to make eye contact, see if there would be a spark. If there was, she would just be blunt, more blunt than she had ever been before in her life and would just go over to him and slip him her room key. If he really didn't want to he would just ignore it. Before she could lose her courage she slipped from the bar stool, grabbed her purse and walked briskly towards the front desk.

Mark gulped down the rest of his scotch, welcoming the burn of the alcohol down his esophagus. He wondered when exactly he had become such a pathetic individual. He was Mark Sloan. He should just go back to the man he was before Addison. Sleeping around aimlessly in his free time, being a genius in his professional life. Much easier anyway.

Maybe he should start right now. Maybe he could find a woman right here and there who would join him for the night. Searching the bar with his eyes, he stopped when he saw a woman entering the room. Looking her up and down, Mark nodded inwardly. Definitely a candidate. The plain dark dress hugged her figure, her dark brown hair fell down in waves on her shoulders. When she walked to the other end of the bar, he checked out her ass. From a scale of one to ten it was at least a nine. He hadn't seen a ring on her finger what would make it a lot easier. She was definitely worth a try.

Lexie sat down on the same stool she'd been sitting on before, signaling the bartender that she wanted another shot. When he put it down in front of her, she downed it without hesitation. Taking in a deep breath, she turned her head to start her 'project'.

A jolt went through her whole body when her eyes met his immediately. She hadn't expected that he would look in her direction. But he did, his blue eyes boring into hers and her mouth went dry when his lips curved up into a smile.

She hesitated for a few seconds, the experience she saw in his eyes and in his whole posture making her wonder if she should spend the one night she was feeling adventurous with an obvious pro. But at least he wouldn't be a disappointment. No, Lexie decided as she looked him up and down, he would definitely not be a disappointment.

As she lifted her gaze to his face again he flashed her a grin, obviously amused by her scrutinizing gaze and Lexie smiled back, deciding in a split second that life was too short to over think every step of the way.

Seeing her gaze wandering down his body, Mark's grin broadened. This was going to be easier than he'd thought. He was certain that she wanted him, judging by her hungry gaze. A few more drinks and she would drop into his bed. But when she suddenly stood up and put her room key beside his hand as she walked out of the bar, he caught even him by surprise.

He hadn't expected something like this. He didn't even have to use his charm. Looking after her as she left the room with swaying hips, Mark had to smile appreciatively. It had definitely been a great move. Very blunt and very convincing. He would definitely take her up on her offer.

As she closed the door behind her, she exhaled a shuddering breath. She had just given her room key to a complete stranger but she didn't feel scared. She felt excited and strangely energized. She didn't know if he would come but it didn't matter. She would never see him again, though she would be disappointed if she couldn't have one night with him.

Sighing deeply, she shook her head and slipped out of her heels. There was still the full mini-bar if he'd decided to stay away. She was already on the way to the bar as she heard the card in the door and her heart began to flutter as she leaned against the couch, her eyes glued to the door, waiting for him to enter.

As he slipped the key card in and opened the door he asked himself if he was completely insane now. She could be some serial killer. She could have accomplices in her room who would knock him down and rob him. But he stepped in nonetheless and his eyes immediately locked with hers as she was leaning against the couch, her arms crossed over her chest, a satisfied smile on her face. She pushed herself away from the couch and walked slowly towards him, stopping only a few feet in front of him.

"Just sex. One night. No talking."

~M&L~

He was gone when she woke up the next morning and Lexie felt relieved, though a small part of her was disappointed that he didn't try to talk to her at all. That he hadn't been interested in finding out her name. Maybe the sex had been so insanely hot because of it. Lexie closed her eyes and groaned out loud when flashes from the last night popped up in her head. His hands roaming over her whole body, his mouth making her writhe under him. The surge of pure pleasure that cursed through her body as he finally plunged into her.

This night had been insane. Insane in every aspect. Normally she needed to know the man she had sex with to have a truly satisfying experience. The only one-night stand she'd had in her life had been a major disappointment. But this? This man had turned her world upside down. For one night. She knew that it was over. Even if she wanted to she would never see him again. But she would probably never forget this night.

~M&L~

Mark had lost count of the number of women he'd slept with a long time ago but not one of them had been like her. She'd been the first woman he'd followed to a room without even talking to her. He hadn't even flirted with her. Not really. Of course he'd wanted her the moment she walked into the bar, but before he could even try to make a move she'd already given him her room key and of course he couldn't stay away.

He was glad that he didn't. It had been one of the best sex he'd ever had and looking at his experience that meant a lot. The reason for the extremely passionate night he'd spent with her was probably the complete immunity. He didn't even know her name. The connection he'd felt had only been a figment of his imagination, caused by the rush of desire. It was only a one-night stand anyway. He would never see her again. She was just another woman on his list.

~M&L~

_Four weeks later_

Lexie pressed her head against the toilet seat, her damp hair was plastered against her temples and she gulped in air, trying to suppress the urge to throw up again. It couldn't be. It was impossible. They used a condom and she had an IUD. What were the odds that both failed?

This was a nightmare. She knew nothing about him. She didn't even know his name. She let her control slip for one night and she got punished for it. She was late and she just threw up into the toilet the moment she woke up. She prayed that she'd just caught the stomach flu and that she was late because of the stress she'd been in lately. Destiny couldn't be so cruel. She couldn't be pregnant from a complete stranger after spending only one night with him. It was impossible. Absolutely impossible.

* * *

**Okay, this idea just came over me. So, tell me what you think. :-)**

**For all of you who are following my other stories: I'm almost done with the next chapter of 'Undeniable Attraction'. So I'm not neglecting my other stories for this one. :-)**


	2. Chapter 2

**I have to say one thing first … wow. Thank you for all your reviews. This idea just popped into my head and I have to admit I'm always a little scared that I'm going to disappoint my readers when I'm getting such a great response. After I've said that … I might disappoint a few with how I'm continuing this story. But before I wrote the first chapter I already knew how I wanted to continue this story and like I said I never win an argument against my muse. So I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!**

**Oh, and I actually accidentally wrote Seattle Grey's instead of Seattle Grace in the first chapter. Just proves how obsessed I am with Little Grey and Big Sloan. :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_Five years later_

There were still times when she looked back at the day that changed her whole life. She'd been thirty-one, lonely and fed up with the cruelty of life. But then she'd laid her eyes on a man that had spoken to her immediately and for once she hadn't thought twice and just gone with her guts. The guts that had taken her to this place.

She would have never imagined that she would end up in New York. Too crowded for her taste. But she'd learned to love the city her and her son had settled down in. She'd been confused when the doctor had told her that she was pregnant. Confused and lonely. But one of her best friends stood at her side the whole time. He'd persuaded her into coming to New York.

She'd changed her specialty after Christopher was born. Plastics was the safer specialty. Hardly any patient died but she still changed the lives of her patients for the better. She'd always refused to take on the boob jobs and such because she would never understand why some women wanted to change their appearance without having medical reasons but she got extreme satisfaction from giving patients who considered themselves monsters or burned patients back their lives.

She had no man in her life, having no time between raising her son and her work hours anyway to have a relationship. Though she'd always wondered how he would have reacted if she would have found him. She'd searched for him, but considering that she knew actually nothing about him, her attempts at finding him and telling him that he was going to be a father, had been futile. Not that she'd expected to find him. She'd even hired a private investigator but the only thing she could tell him was that the man she was searching for was an extremely handsome man in his late thirties with salt and pepper hair and a scruff.

Maybe she would have forgotten him over time, if she wouldn't look at a younger version of him every day. After Christopher had lost the chubbiness of his baby years, the resemblance to his father was uncanny. The eyes were definitely his. It happened often that people looked at her and her son and told her how sweet Christopher looked and that his father had to be very handsome. You couldn't see much of her in him. What made it impossible to forget the man she'd shared this incredible night with but she had to live with the fact that she would never see him again and that Christoper would never meet his father.

~M&L~

Now he was back where he'd started. Back in New York. But he didn't reopen his private practice, he got persuaded by a friend. It was one of his oldest friends beside Derek and he didn't want to lose another friendship, so he'd agreed to work at the Presbyterian as the new Chief of Plastic Surgery.

He still couldn't believe why he'd stayed in Seattle for that long. Why he'd tried to repair a friendship that couldn't be repaired. He still remembered the day he'd decided to go back to his old days. The day a woman had picked him up in a bar. The day he'd started again to live as if there was no tomorrow.

He knew that there was hardly any female staff member left at Seattle Grace that he hadn't persuaded into sleeping with him. Though he had stayed away from women who were married or in a relationship. He'd only slept with single women who still called him a jerk afterwards even though they went into an on call room with him willingly, well aware of his reputation.

Of course it was hollow sex and he knew that most women thought that men loved to have only sex. But even he, who had really earned to be called a man whore, felt unsatisfied by the sex he had with almost every female that crossed his path. But he couldn't help it. He needed sex. He wasn't really proud of it. But there wasn't much left in his life. He had no real friends. Only work.

Sleeping around wasn't emotionally satisfying. But it satisfied his biological urges. He thought all this huff about love was ridiculous. In his opinion love didn't exist. It was just a myth. It was always just a man and woman who felt attracted to each other because of some primal instincts and just stayed together because today's society almost forced you into monogamy, trying to convince everyone that it was the best way to live even though the divorce rates were painting another picture. He would rather believe the scientists who swore that you could 'smell' the best genetic material in your partner than those who claimed that there were people out there who were destined to end up together.

The whole speeches about destiny were just a load of crap in his opinion. He didn't believe in fate or soul mates. So why should he put any effort in having more than meaningless sex with women? It would only end up in divorce. He had seen it too often. Couples who had no love left. Couples who were only fighting about money, about their children as if they were only a piece of furniture.

No, he knew exactly why he didn't want to get married, why he didn't want to have any kids. Staying single was the best choice. No heartache, no problems.

~M&L~

The old Chief of Plastic Surgery had been one of her mentors but he'd retired and today was the first day for the new surgeon who would take over. She hadn't met him before but he knew his reputation. He was one of the best plastic surgeons of the whole country and she'd read some papers about the procedures he'd invented. Procedures she had to admit were very impressive. She had been looking forward to see him speak on a conference she had been wanting to attend two years ago but then Christopher had caught the stomach flu and she couldn't go. She was definitely looking forward to working with him.

She had no idea how he looked like because he made himself very scarce when it came to speaking on conferences and refused to give any interviews for newspapers or make an appearance on television. But she'd heard the rumors about him screwing everything in his reach. She wasn't a person who cared much about rumors and since she wouldn't give him a chance to screw her, she didn't really care. She could definitely learn from him and she intended to do just that. What he was doing in his free time was none of her business.

"Dr. Grey? I want you to meet our new Chief of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Mark Sloan."

Lexie turned around, stretching out her hand to greet him, an excited smile on her face but when she lifted her head to look into his face her hand froze like everything else froze in her body. The smile dropped off her face instantly and her eyes widened in shock as he recognized the man standing in front of her. He wasn't only the new Chief of Plastic Surgery and her new boss, he was also the father of her child.

* * *

**Maybe it's not very realistic that she never saw a picture of Mark anywhere, but scientific papers actually don't come with pictures, so it might be possible. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews! **

**This chapter answers a lot of your questions. I hope you'll enjoy!**

**I know some of you can't wait to read the next chapter of 'Undeniable Attraction' and I'm working on it. I hope this update can tide you over until I'm finished with it. :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Something was familiar about her. He knew this face. It took him a few seconds until he realized where he knew her from and a big smile split up his face. The only woman who'd ever made the first move. Hard to forget something like that. Not to mention the sex. Also hard to forget. It was difficult to say if she was as stunning as she had been five years earlier, the scrubs and especially the lab coat hiding her figure. But from what he could see she was definitely still a beautiful woman. Maybe they could pick up right where they left off the last time. He wouldn't say no to that.

Grasping her outstretched hand, he shook it, his fingers closing around her wrist, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand.

"Dr. Grey! Nice to meet you." Mark said and Lexie could see the hidden laughter in his eyes. He was definitely enjoying the situation. "Really nice to meet you."

Sudden anger swept over her. He acted as if she was his prey and he would drag her to his cave any second. He was so full of himself and to make things even worse he still looked amazing. He didn't seem to have gained one pound since she'd seen him the last time. Of course not. The lines around his eyes and mouth had gotten deeper but his eyes were still as mesmerizing and even though she didn't want to feel anything for him, his smile tugged at a cord inside of her she hadn't felt in a very long time.

"Dr. Sloan!" She replied coldly, nodding sharply.

But her cold response only widened his smile even further and she had to hold herself back, the urge to slap her hand across his face almost unbearable. She didn't remember him to be that cocky. Well, they didn't actually talk much. Okay, they didn't talk at all. If he had said something, she probably wouldn't have slipped him her room key. But she wouldn't have Christopher either.

Thinking of her son almost knocked the breath out of her. Emily would appear any minute with him. She was almost ready to go home. She had been only waiting for Dr. Sloan. Shit, he couldn't see him. Not now. Not before she'd found a way to tell him about Christopher. But it was already too late. As she looked over his shoulder she could see Emily approaching, her son on her arms.

"Mommy, Mommy!" Christopher exclaimed, squirming in Emily's arms, eager to get to his mother. "Paul had a marble in his nose. It was gross."

Lexie was still in shock, but she got to her knees when her son stumbled towards her and scooped him up in her arms. Straightening herself, her gaze went back to her new superior, her heart beating wildly in her chest. Maybe everything would be okay, maybe he wouldn't see the resemblance.

Emily walked over to them, starting to tell Lexie about everything Christopher had told her on their way up from day care when she realized that Lexie was staring at the man standing in front of her, apparently not hearing one word she said. She already wanted to scold her as her eyes fell onto the man and she stopped mid-sentence when she looked into his face.

"No way." Emily whispered, her eyes widened in shock and her gaze went from him to Christopher. "It's him?"

Mark hadn't paid much attention to the kid in Lexie's arms other than feeling a slight disappointment that she was apparently married. But when he heard the comment of the other female doctor he took a closer look and suddenly he was hardly able to take in a breath. As he looked at Lexie's son it was as if he looked at a picture of himself when he had been the same age.

"You've got to be kidding me." Mark shouted and Lexie had seen how the expression on his face had changed from smugness to surprise and then to anger when he looked at Christopher. Emily had taken only one look and realized immediately that he was Christopher's father, she shouldn't be surprised that he'd also seen it the instant his eyes fell on Christopher.

"Mark? Aehmm … Dr. Sloan ..."

"How the hell did that happen?" Mark asked, clenching his jaw, his voice as harsh as before. "And why the hell did I have to find out like this?"

"Dr. Sloan, just please … not in front of ..." Lexie turned around and handed Christopher over to Emily. Her son didn't want to leave her arms, looking confused at his mother before his eyes went to the stranger who'd just shouted at his mother.

"I'm back in a minute, sweetie. Okay?" Lexie pulled his arms gently away from her neck, speaking softly so that she didn't scare him. "I just need to talk to the man for a few minutes."

"He shouts so loud." Christopher whispered in the typical way kids were always whispering. She was almost certain that the whole floor could hear him. "I don't want you to go with him. I don't like him."

"He didn't mean to shout. He was just taken by surprise. Can you just stay with Emily for a few minutes?"

Christopher furrowed his brows, glaring angrily at Mark and if the situation wouldn't be so serious she would have laughed about the attempt of her son to protect her from Mark.

"Okay, Mommy." He finally said reluctantly.

Lexie turned around and walked towards the next on call room, waiting until Mark stepped inside after her before she closed the door firmly.

"Do you have to shout like that in front of my son? You scared him." Lexie said calmly, hoping that they could talk about the situation without shouting at each other but one look at his face told her that this would probably not be the case. He was furious.

"_Your_ son?" Mark took in a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions in check. He would like nothing better than to throttle her. But he'd never touched a woman in anger and he wouldn't start now. "_Your_ son? How the hell is it possible that I have a son?"

"You should know how it works considering that you are a doctor." Lexie snapped back. "Hmm, let's see how I can explain it to you. Oh yeah! Sperm meets egg and voilà ten months later there is a new human being."

"This is not the time to mock me. He is my son." Mark hissed, stepping closer, towering over her. "Don't deny it. I can see it. He looks exactly like I did when I was his age."

"I could give you the exact probability for two contraception methods to fail but it wouldn't change anything." Lexie pressed out through gritted teeth, trying to stay calm. "And just for the record I never wanted to deny it that he is your son."

"Then why the hell didn't you tell me?" Mark shouted into her face.

"Aehmm, hello." Lexie yelled back, her face only mere inches away from his. "No names, remember?"

"Ohhh!" Mark stepped back, realizing that he was maybe being unfair. Because she was right. Until today they didn't even know each other's names.

"I knew nothing about you. Absolutely nothing. But I still tried to find you." Lexie explained, glad that he'd put some space between them. "I can give you the number of the private investigator I've hired. He'll confirm it. I didn't want to keep your son from you but I couldn't find you."

"What's his name?" Mark said, rubbing his hand over his face.

"Christopher." Lexie replied softly. After all, seeing Christopher had been an immense shock for him.

He had tons of questions. He needed to wrap his head around the fact that he was the father of a four year old boy. But first he had to make one thing clear. Mark locked eyes with her, a determined look on his face. "We need to make arrangements."

"What arrangements?" Lexie asked surprised.

"He is my son. I know nothing about him." Mark gulped hard as the realization slammed into him that he'd missed the first years of his son's life. "I've missed enough. I want to be in his life from now on."

Lexie's jaw almost dropped down. She hadn't expected that he wanted to be a part of Christopher's life.

"Okaaay?" Lexie replied shakily before she added. "But I know nothing about you, Mark. You can only see him with me present. At least until I know that he is safe with you."

Mark nodded slowly, trying to suppress the anger that rose up in him. She was just making sure that their son was safe. He could be a serial killer as far as she knew. He almost laughed out loud when he realized that she hadn't cared about it when she'd invited him into her bed. But of course this situation was completely different. "Of course."

"But he has to want to see you. You have to give him some time. Like I said. You scared him."

"I'll take care of it." Mark said firmly, surprising Lexie completely.

"You will?"

"Yeah, I will." Mark replied before he walked to the door. His hand already around the door knob he suddenly turned around, staring at her for a few seconds before he chuckled slightly and Lexie raised her eye brows questioningly. "I still don't know your name."

Lexie had to chuckle herself. "Alexandra." She paused briefly before she added. "But friends call me Lexie."

"Lexie?" Mark spoke her name quietly. "I like it."

He opened the door and walked out before Lexie could say anything else, hurrying after him. As she went through the door she could see him walking purposefully towards Emily and Christopher who were sitting a few feet away. Crouching down beside Emily's chair, Mark looked directly into Christopher's eyes, his soft voice stopping Lexie dead in her tracks.

"I need to apologize." He didn't say anything else, waiting for Christopher to react.

Christopher looked at him scrutinizingly before his curiosity got the better of him. "For what?"

"Shouting at your mother. I shouldn't have shouted at her. I'm sorry."

Christopher eyed him warily for a few seconds before a sudden smile split up his face. "Okay."

Mark smiled back, holding out his hand. "I'm Mark."

Christopher laid his much smaller hand in Mark's and replied. "I'm Christopher."

Emily looked over to Lexie, seeing the tears shimmering in her eyes. She knew how much effort Lexie had put into finding the father of her child. She'd always wanted Christopher to have his father in his life. Christopher apparently liked him. Emily wasn't sure how Lexie felt about him though. She'd never told her much about the night Christopher was conceived but something in Lexie's voice had told Emily that he had been more than a normal one-night stand. Something more happened that night. She just hoped that he wouldn't hurt Lexie.

Lexie stared at her son and Mark shaking hands. She couldn't believe it. Who was this man? He was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One second he was this cocky man who apparently would like nothing better than to lure her into a room and have his way with her, a second later he was shouting at her, just to change into someone completely different a few minutes later right in front of her eyes as he talked to his son.

She was confused and she didn't like to be confused. But it didn't matter what she was feeling. Mark had the right to get to know his son and Christopher had the right to get to know his father. But she had a bad feeling that she needed to keep her walls up before Mark was able to charm her pants off. Five years ago she'd had only taken one look and jumped into bed with him. She wasn't sure if she could stay away from him this time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**Where did the time go? I have no idea. But at least this chapter is the longest so far. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

This day had offered him quite some surprises. He'd expected to just start the new job, maybe if he got lucky snarl at some interns and checking out the female staff of the hospital. But first he suddenly stood in front of the only woman who'd ever achieved to impress him and if this wasn't enough of a surprise he'd found out that they'd actually had conceived a child during their one night together.

He never wanted kids of his own, maybe because he knew how it felt to be only there as kind of a status symbol. Like his parents had treated him. He didn't want that a child of his would feel even remotely that way when his career required to spend a lot of time at the hospital. But now he had a son even though he had still a hard time to wrap his head around the fact.

Lucy would have a field day when she would find out. He'd never told anyone in Seattle about the time he was spending in a youth center. One day he'd witnessed how a child had fallen down from his bike while he was waiting at a red light and apparently no one had seemed to care that the boy hadn't stood up. So Mark had brought him to the next hospital and he'd met Lucy there.

Lucy had bullied him into it and he had still no idea how she got him to say yes. It was as if she had seen something in him that he didn't believe was in him. He loved working with the kids. They were the only ones who could make him smile after a hard week at work. Alone their shouts of 'Dr. Mark' the moment he entered the center lifted a weight of his shoulders. Lucy and the kids were actually the only persons he felt sad about leaving behind. Somehow she was like the little sister he'd never had and she never let him get away with bullshit.

She was the one who told him that she was convinced that he would be a fantastic father and she was also the only one who he'd listened to even if he didn't want to. She'd told him over and over again that sleeping around wasn't a solution for anything. She held a mirror in front of him showing him what his life had become. Going to New York was the first step in hopefully the right direction. Or that was what Lucy was hoping for. Mark wasn't so sure if he was able to. Sleeping around was so much easier than trying to build a relationship with a woman.

Twenty-four hours ago he had been still convinced that he couldn't change his life style or more accurate that he didn't want to change it. But that was before he met Lexie again. Of all the women he had shared his bed with in his life this one stood definitely out. Maybe it had been her bluntness, maybe the fact that they hadn't said a word. It might sound insane coming from him but he could actually still remember the night. How her body had reacted under his mouth and hands, how her nails had dig into his skin, how she'd made him almost lose control as she'd demanded more and more from him without saying a word.

He still remembered almost every little detail of her body and if he was honest he was curious how her body looked like now, five years later. He definitely wanted her and if it wasn't for Christopher he would leave nothing undone to get her into his bed. But she was the mother of his child. That changed everything. He couldn't risk losing his son if he decided he had enough of her. Because until now no woman was able to hold his interest for more than a few months. As tempting as it was he would not give in. Not this time.

~M&L~

Mark spent the next day mostly in his office trying to get acquainted with his department. He'd just left his office to find some intern who would fetch him a bone dry cappuccino as the Chief of Surgery stopped him, wanting to go over the cases they would be able to handle over the next few weeks.

Lexie stood at the top of the stairs watching both of them. Sooner or later she had to talk to him. He was her superior but she still had troubles to stomach that the father of her child was her new boss. He seemed to be occupied otherwise anyway. Eventually they would talk and not only professionally. They needed to work out a schedule so that he could see Christopher as often as possible. But not just now. Maybe tomorrow.

"That's him?" An excited voice behind her made her jump in surprise. Of course, Roger had to be the one who caught her staring at Christopher's father. He would not let her live it down for ages. "Ahh, you've never told me that he looks so gorgeous."

"He is not bad."

"Not bad?" Roger pressed his hand against his chest and Lexie had to smile. She knew he was exaggerating his sexual orientation on purpose sometimes, just to watch the uncomfortable squirming of people when they realized that he was gay. "Tell me that he is bi."

"Roger, I met him only once and you know we didn't even talk to each other. How the hell should I know if he is bi?"

"Who is bi?" Emily asked as she stepped beside Roger.

"No one." Lexie said brusquely. She didn't want to discuss Mark's hotness. At least not while they were standing in the middle of the hospital.

"I was just contemplating if I might have a teeny tiny chance with the hunk over there." Roger told her, pointing with his head in Mark's direction.

"Which hunk?" Emily followed the jerk of his head and spotted Mark. Turning a pitiful glance towards Roger, she shook her head. "Sorry, sweetie. You know I have an almost infallible gay radar. This one is 100% straight. Just too much testosterone. Wouldn't you agree, Lex?"

"Testosterone, my ass. She is too arrogant to be gay." Lexie blurted out without thinking and for a second Roger and Emily looked stunned at her before all three of them suddenly burst out in laughter.

"What's so funny?" Without them noticing it Mark had approached their little group.

"Just a little drooling." Roger said non-chalantly as if Mark had just asked the time. Lexie almost wanted to strangle him.

"Drooling?" Mark asked confused.

"We just admired your physique." Roger replied and Lexie prayed for the earth to open up and swallow her. "I hope that doesn't affront you, considering you are the new Chief of Plastic Surgery."

"Not in the slightest." Mark grinned, looking Roger up and down. "But you are definitely too skinny for me."

Roger's mouth fell open and Emily pulled his jaw up gently. "Close your mouth before you catch a fly, Roger. He was just joking. 100% straight, remember?"

"And what makes you so certain?" Mark asked her, eying her curiously.

"Years of experience." Emily replied. "Why? Can you prove me wrong?"

"No." Mark gave her a smile before he turned back to Roger. "Sorry. Definitely only women."

"That's really a shame." Roger replied, stretching out his hand. "I'm Roger. If you need the best anesthesiologist in this hospital just call me."

"Mark Sloan." Mark replied, shaking his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you and I will definitely come back to your offer."

"And if you ever change your mind ..." Roger wiggled his eye brows suggestively and Mark chuckled slightly. "You'll be the first to know."

Turning his eyes back to Emily, Mark spoke. "We've met yesterday. You were with Christopher. Emily, right?"

"Yep, that's me."

"What's your specialty?"

"Neuro."

"I'm looking forward to our consults." Mark threw her a charming smile before he turned around, addressing Lexie directly for the first time since he'd joined their group. "Dr. Grey?" She knew that he was using her last name on purpose, trying to get a reaction out of her but she was not falling for such a cheap move. "What's your specialty?"

Lexie tilted her head, surprised that he didn't know already that they would be working together very closely. Maybe he hadn't time yet to go over the staff list. She contemplated for one second if she should leave him in the dark so that he would find out on his own but decided that keeping it a secret would be a little too juvenile for her taste so she just replied. "Yours."

"Plastics?" Mark asked surprised.

"Yes, Plastics."

A sly grin appeared on his face and he leaned back against the railing, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes bright with amusement. "I'm definitely looking forward to working with you."

"Likewise." Lexie told him truthfully.

"I should better get back to my office. There are still tons of papers I need to sift through. Until next time." Mark shook Roger and Emily's hand before his eyes locked on Lexie. "We'll talk soon."

Somehow it sounded more as if he was talking about something completely different than work and Lexie could feel her cheeks flush bright red, scolding herself inwardly for reacting as if she was a teenager. As Mark walked away Lexie refused to look after him feeling the urge to smack Roger because it looked as if she had to wipe away real drool from his mouth any minute.

"You are screwed, girl." Roger sighed after Mark had disappeared around the corner.

"What?"

"His body is gorgeous as hell and he doesn't treat me as if I'm a gum under his shoe, obviously he doesn't have anything against gay people. What do you want more?"

"What I want more?" Lexie replied, rolling her eyes exasperatedly. "Roger, you are unbelievable!"

"Answer me one question and I'll shut up." Lexie narrowed her eyes suspiciously but nodded nonetheless. "On a scale from one to ten where is he sex-wise? I want to know for years and you never give me an answer."

"Hmm, I don't know." Lexie said slowly, walking backwards.

"Lex, you promised."

"Okay, okay." Lexie held her hands up in surrender, pausing briefly before she said matter-of-factly. "Twenty."

"What?" Roger asked completely stunned, rushing after her. "Wait! What do you mean with twenty? Oh my God, you can't leave me hanging like this. Now I need to know all the details."

Emily could only shake her head as she trailed after them, smirking slightly about Lexie's comment. Maybe she should torture Roger a little, tell him that she knew every little detail about that night. That should be fun. Especially since she had no idea what really happened that night. But judging from the sexual tension that filled the air every time Mark and Lexie were in the same room 'twenty' might be the right description for it.

~M&L~

Mark had given her his card with all his phone numbers on it and the address of the hotel he was currently staying in. Why she was now standing in front of his hotel room, carrying four heavy bags in her hands and two more over her shoulders was beyond her. She had just opened the closet and found the bags packed, waiting for the moment she would find Christopher's father. Well, she had found him and there was no need to hold onto the content any longer. She had duplicates of all of it anyway.

Her mouth went immediately dry as he opened the door. He'd apparently just come home from a run, wiping a towel over his face to soak up the sweat. He was wearing short trousers, a fine film of sweat was covering his shin bones and Lexie gulped hard, trying to regain her composure before he would lower the towel. As if she needed any more reminders how well built he was, now she could see every single muscle through the wet shirt plastered against his chest.

"Lexie? Hey."

"If you are busy I can come back another day." Lexie blurted out already turning away. "Yeah, probably a good idea. I'll just go."

Mark grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving, his gaze falling on the four bags in her hands and on her shoulders. "Do you wanna move in with me?"

"What? I ..." Lexie stuttered completely confused. "What?"

"The bags." Mark pointed towards them, an amused grin on his face.

"Yeah, right. The bags. You were just joking. Of course."

"Why don't you come in and tell me why you are here?"

Lexie exhaled a relieved breath as she could put the bags down, the straps had left marks over her hands and she rubbed over them unconsciously.

"Let me just throw on a fresh shirt. I'll be back in a sec."

If he was doing it on purpose he achieved his goal. The only thing she could do was gape as he walked into the room, pulling the shirt over his head, the muscles rippling over his chest and stomach. Her eyes followed the fine line of hair down his stomach before she had to tear her eyes away from him before he caught her staring.

"Can I get you anything. Beer, wine, coffee, water?"

"A beer would be great." She hardly drank alcohol since Christopher's birth. She couldn't drink any for sixteen months and didn't feel the need to drink anymore. Until the handsome stranger who was Christopher's father came back into her life and now her hands were almost shaking with the desire to wrap them around a bottle of wine.

"So what's in there?" Mark asked after he'd handed her a beer out of the mini-bar and sat down on the other side of the couch, propping one foot up, his elbow rested on his knee, the beer bottle tangling from his fingers. He got rid of his shoes and socks and seeing his naked feet made her want to just rush out of his room before she would do something she would regret later.

But she came for one thing only and the sooner she told him why she came the sooner she could go home and burying her head in her pillow. "The reason I came here tonight is … I wanted to give you this."

"Sorry, Lex." Mark looked at her confused, following her outstretched hand with his eyes but all he could see were six bags with something in it. "You have to elaborate because I still have no clue what you are talking about."

Hearing her nickname out of his mouth was disturbing to say the least. She ignored the tweaking in her stomach and leaned forward to pull a photo album out of one bag.

"All this ..." Lexie gestured again towards the bags propped up against the couch. "... are Christopher's first four years. Photos, videos, paintings. I made this on the off chance that I would find his father one day. Turned out I didn't do it for nothing. I thought you wanted to have them."

"That is … wow, Lexie." Mark replied completely stunned. It had bothered him a lot that he missed the first four years of his son but he would have never expected that Lexie would give him the best she could under the circumstances.

"Might prove to you that I really wanted you to know about Christopher." Lexie said, not able to hold the accusation completely out of her voice.

"I don't need proof." Mark replied calmly.

"But ..."

"No, I'm sorry. It was just the initial shock. I told Christopher the truth. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"Yeah, you shouldn't have." Lexie nodded before she added. "But I understand why you did."

"You do?" Mark asked slightly surprised.

"Yes, I do." Lexie repeated and suddenly the air between them was thick with tension as they locked eyes.

"I do have one more thing at home. But I didn't feel comfortable to give it to you. Yet." Lexie said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"What is it?"

"A video of the birth."

"You filmed his birth?"

"It's actual not only a normal video. A friend of mine does a lot of experimental work with imaging and he'd designed some Virtual Reality goggles. I couldn't watch it for myself because I didn't really want to go through it again but Emily tried it and she was impressed. She said it felt as if she was really holding Christopher in her arms. I can't imagine how that should work but apparently Bryan, my friend, added some other sensuous effects, too."

"I can see how he was born?" Mark asked astounded.

"If I ever can get over the embarrassment." Lexie said shyly.

"What embarrassment?" Mark replied. "You gave birth to my son. To our son. Nothing about that is embarrassing."

"You are still a stranger to me, Mark."

"I hope that one day you can give it to me." Mark said quietly and another awkward silence fell over them. Lexie nibbled at the label of her beer, trying to find the best way to leave but as if Mark had read her mind he suddenly spoke. "I really should go take a shower. Thanks for bringing these by. It means a lot."

"You're welcome. I should get going anyway." Lexie spoke quickly, jumping up from the couch and grabbing her purse.

"Unless you want to join me?" Mark replied and only a second later his eyes widened in surprise about his own question. Did he just ask her to go into the shower with him? Was he completely insane?

Lexie stood rooted to the spot, holding her breath, staring at him, not able to utter one word. It wasn't the question that shocked her. It was the fact that for a split second she'd considered to take him up on his offer. Heat shot into her cheeks and other places in her body as she imagined the water streaming down his body. Shuddering out a breath, she clutched her hands into fists, digging her nails into her palms, her mind fighting with her body for another second before her mind won the battle.

Stepping towards him, she pressed her hands against his chest, feeling the heat of his body burning up her skin. "Tempting offer, Mark Sloan. But I have to decline. It's not gonna happen again."

"Like Roger would say … that's a shame." Mark spoke quietly, giving her a lopsided smirk.

Raising on her tiptoes, she brushed a kiss against his cheek. "Good night, Mark."

Shortly before she closed the door behind her she could hear his soft voice. "Good night to you too, Lexie."


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, guys. I didn't expect it to happen already at Chapter 5, but well my muse insisted to go down this path, so … up with the rating. They are not having sex. … Yet. But since I'm going to change the rating to M eventually, I just stopped pondering if I could write what I want to write considering that this was still a T story. Well, it's not anymore. It's M-rated now. :-) **

**And the moment I finished this A/N and continued to write the chapter it totally got out of control. LOL. I swear it's this freaking heat wave. It's driving my muse nuts! It's not my fault. :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

He honestly had no idea where the invitation had come from. But watching her getting a little flustered just made him wish he could pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless, so it just slipped out of his mouth. He'd expected her to get into his face, to yell at him if he'd completely lost his mind but he could swear that she'd almost said yes. For a brief second he could see it in her eyes. He wasn't the only one who felt the pull. The pull that had drawn them to each other five years ago, the pull that apparently hadn't gotten any weaker.

Feeling her lips brush against his cheek had shot a ball of desire straight into his stomach, making him hard in an instant. If she would have stayed so close to him one second longer he would have just grabbed her and dragged her into the shower with him. But she had been out of the door faster than he could react.

Now he was standing alone in the shower, his hands pressed against the tiles, his head leaning against the wall, the water pounding on his shoulders and he asked himself what had gotten into him. His fingers curled, the urge to smack his head against the wall was almost unbearable. He'd stepped into the shower twenty minutes ago but every time he took a breath he could swear that her scent was still lingering in the air somehow making his whole body tingle .

He'd turned the water to ice cold five minutes ago, hoping that the cold water would do the trick, but he couldn't get her out of his head. Apparently there was no other way than to take matters into his own hands. Literally. Sighing heavily, he turned the water to warm again and slipped his hand down, unleashing his imagination as he wrapped his fingers around his cock, pictures of her smile, her face swirling around in his head as he pumped faster and faster. His fingers tightened as he felt himself getting closer and closer, imaging that it was her hand not his own. Squeezing his eyes shut, he quickened the pace of his hand even more and groaned loudly as his release spilled out of him.

Panting he leaned back against the shower wall, letting the water wash away the evidence of how much she had already infiltrated his mind. Realizing that his hand still held his cock, he loosened his fingers slowly, rubbing with his other hand over his face, a strangled laugh escaping his mouth as he imagined what Lexie would have to say about the fact that he was thinking about her while he jerked off.

It was still a bad idea to even think about having sex with her, so the fantasies better stayed fantasies. As much as he wanted to he knew that they shouldn't do it. It would just make things even more complicated than they already were and he was her boss after all. Not only did they have a son together, they also had to work side by side every day. No, having sex would definitely be the worst idea ever.

~M&L~

"Thanks, Emily, for looking after him on such a short notice."

"No problem." Emily looked at her scrutinizingly, seeing the dark circles under Lexie's eyes. "Everything okay? Did everything go well?"

"Yeah, everything was fine." Lexie said, suppressing a yawn. "It was just a long day. I'm tired."

"I've given him already his bath and he brushed his teeth. We were only waiting for you. He didn't want to go to bed without you."

Christopher suddenly emerged out of his bed room and rushed towards her. "You are home. I missed you, Mommy. Ems read 'Winnie the Pooh' with me but she doesn't read it right."

Emily furrowed her brows and Lexie had to chuckle. "I'm giving everyone a different voice. I think that's what he meant with not right."

"Hmm-hmm." Christopher nodded his head enthusiastically.

"If it wasn't bedtime I would tickle you until you can't breathe anymore." Emily stepped forward, stretching her arms out as if she wanted to catch him.

"No, Ems." Christopher shrieked. "Mommy is gonna scold you."

"I have to go anyway. Come here. Give me a kiss." Emily crouched down and Christopher wrapped his little arms around her neck and gave her a wet kiss on the cheek.

"Bye, Ems."

"Thanks again, Ems." Lexie said, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Emily stood up and wiggled her finger reproachfully towards Lexie. "I've told you. You are not allowed to call me Ems. Only Christopher can call me that."

Christopher puffed his chest out and looked up at the adults proudly, exclaiming loudly, pinching his chest with his finger. "My name!"

Lexie leaned down and scooped him up into her arms, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I was just teasing Aunt Emily."

"Lexie!" Emily narrowed her eyes dangerously and pushed her hands into her hips.

"She doesn't like to get called Aunt either." Lexie whispered loudly into his ear and Christopher giggled, chanting. "Aunt Ems, aunt Ems, aunt Ems."

"Look what you've done." Emily huffed. "You are so gonna pay for this."

Lexie only grinned, accompanying her to the door so that Christopher could wave her good-bye. After closing the door, Lexie walked towards the couch, putting Christopher on the ground before she slumped on it.

"You tired, Mommy?" Christopher asked, putting one of his little hands on her knee.

"A little." Lexie smiled and she almost blurted it out right then and there that Mark was his father as she looked at him with this serious expression adorning his face, looking so much like his father. She was bone tired but she still had to talk to him about Mark. Delaying it wouldn't make it any easier.

"Come here for a sec." Lexie patted the couch next to her and Christopher climbed up, Lexie helping him by giving his behind a little push. He didn't sat down beside her though but climbed into her lap, leaning his head against her shoulder. Lexie pressed her face into his hair for a second, inhaling deeply, closing her eyes briefly as the emotions threatened to overwhelm her as the scent of freshly bathed kid reached her nose. Clearing her throat, she pressed a kiss on his forehead, brushing his hair away before she said quietly. "You remember Mark, right?"

"The man who yelled at you?" Christopher mumbled into her shirt.

"Well, yes. He _was_ yelling. But he did apologize not only to you but to me, too."

"You said that I shouldn't kick anyone when I'm angry." Christopher replied. "Isn't yelling the same?"

Lexie had to hide her smile, pride rising up in her chest because he already comprehended at his age what she had tried to explain to him after the kindergarten teacher had taken her aside one day and told her that Christopher had kicked another child because he had been taking his colored pencils all day without bringing them back. "Yeah, sort of. But even as an adult you are making mistakes from time to time."

"Okay." Christopher snuggled deeper into her embrace and Lexie felt how he got heavier as sleep wanted to take over. Maybe it was best to sneak it in as long as he wasn't completely awake.

"You know Mark is my new boss and I think it would be good if we get to know him better."

"Why?" Christopher leaned back, rubbing his fist over his eyes.

"It makes working together easier." Lexie said, not able to come up with a better reason. "It's like with Roger and Ems. You spent time with them."

"But I know them."

"Well, that's the point. I want you to get to know Mark, too." Lexie replied softly. "So what do you say? Can he come with us the next time we'll go to the playground?"

Christopher shrugged his shoulders, slumping back into her, his eyes fluttering shut. "M'kay. But I don't have to play with him."

"No, if you didn't want to, you don't have to play with him."

"Then he can come with us." Christopher whispered barely audible and Lexie tightened her arms around him and stood up carefully, carrying him towards his bedroom to change him into his pajamas and take him to bed.

~M&L~

She felt completely drained. Emotionally and physically after this long day and all the emotions she had to deal with. She needed a shower.

Thinking about a shower brought immediately Mark's offer back to her mind. She couldn't help to imagine what would have happened if she would have taken him up on his offer. His body pressing into hers. His hands roaming over her skin. Her nipples already reacted to the pictures her tired mind conjured up in her head. Maybe she just needed to wash the day off of her and after a good night's sleep she might be able to get the picture of a Mark Sloan drenched in sweat out of her head.

When she stepped under the water, she lifted her face into the stream, welcoming the heat pelting down on her cheeks. She almost choked when she thought about licking a path down his chest while the water was running over the planes of his muscles. Okay, if her mind wasn't giving her any rest she would just deal with it. There were worst fantasies than thinking about Mark Sloan while giving herself the release she apparently needed.

She trailed one hand towards her breasts, the other down her stomach as she closed her eyes, having absolutely no problem to imagine that it were his hands that were caressing her skin. Brushing her fingers over one nipple, heat shot straight into her core and she slipped her fingers between her folds, rubbing tentatively over her already swollen clit.

Leaning back against the wall for support, she twirled her nipple between her thumb and index finger, contemplating for a brief second if she should search for her vibrator but decided that her fingers had to be enough for now. She didn't even know where she hid it so that Christopher wouldn't stumble accidentally over it. She didn't even remember when she'd last used it. It was a gift from Emily shortly after she'd given birth to Christopher. Emily had told her in a stern voice that she knew that Lexie wouldn't get sweaty and dirty with a man anytime soon, so she should better get accustomed to the little friend because every woman needed to relax from time to time.

She had used it a few times since then. The first time more out of curiosity than anything else but Emily had been right. It was relaxing if she stopped thinking about what she was actually doing and shoved the desire to feel the real thing back into a corner of her brain. But seeing Mark again after all those years had shaken her up completely. Because if she was being honest with herself the night with him was the hottest and best sex she'd ever had and only imagining having him inside of her once again, the feeling of him filling her completely, pushed her over the edge. Quivers were running over her body and she groaned silently as her stomach tightened and her orgasm almost knocked the breath out of her.

Opening her eyes slowly, she stared blankly at the fogged glass door of the shower, asking herself what the hell was wrong with her. She didn't even want to imagine what Mark would say if he would ever find out that she used him as a dirty fantasy while pleasuring herself, their son sleeping only a few feet away. He could have woken up and coming to the bathroom. Lexie shuddered slightly as she imagined how she should have explained to him what she had been doing. It was all Mark's fault. She couldn't even think straight anymore.

Taking in a deep breath, she straightened herself and reached for the bottle of her favorite shower gel, squeezing some into her hand to finally do what she'd intended to do in the first place when she'd stepped into the shower. Washing the day off. Though she wasn't sure how she should be able to look Mark in the eyes tomorrow without blushing. She needed to get a grip. Otherwise she would end up in his bed sooner than later and she really didn't want to fall into bed with him at all. Not if her brain had anything to say in the matter.

The most important thing right now was for Christopher and Mark to get to know each other but she already dreaded the day when she had to tell her son that Mark was actually his father. She still had to come up with a good explanation why he hadn't been there from the beginning. She could hardly tell Christopher that she couldn't find him because she slept with a man without knowing anything about him, not even his name.

Good thing they weren't together. It would be a hell of a story if someone would ask him how his parents met. For now they might be able to give him only a shallow explanation but when he got older he would ask for more specifics. But she would deal with that when the time came. Right now she just had to take one step at a time and needed to stop worrying about things that were still a few years away.

* * *

**I promise Mark and Christopher will get some bonding time in the next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I know it's been forever. I'm sorry. At least the chapter is a little longer. I hope the promised Mark and Christopher bonding can make up for the long wait. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

After he'd tried for over an hour to fall asleep Mark finally gave up and threw the duvet away. He didn't switch on the lights, the light that was streaming in through the windows was enough so that he could find his way to the mini-bar. He knew he shouldn't rely on alcohol to come down but he still felt extremely restless and he just needed a scotch. Emptying two of the small bottles into a glass, he realized that he had no ice cubes left. He contemplated for a second if he should get some but decided that it wasn't worth the effort. It would only water down the scotch anyway.

Walking towards the window, he stared out over the Seattle cityscape, taking a sip from the glass. Turning around, his gaze fell on the bags Lexie had brought him and he wandered slowly over to the couch, putting the glass on the couch table before he sat down. Switching on the lamp beside the couch, he leaned forward and pulled one album out. On the first page Lexie had noted the period of time this album apparently covered. He calculated it quickly in his head, assessing that Christopher had been two when these photos were taken.

Mark opened it on a random page and his mouth twitched up into a grin when he saw the picture. It seemed to be a picture of Christopher's second birthday, the chocolate cake was smeared over his whole face, crumbs stuck in his hair, his fingers were covered in chocolate and he wore a big smile on his face.

As Mark flipped through the album the grin never left his face. Each and every photo captured an excited boy, full of joy and happiness. Mark felt a slight pinch in his heart region as it seemed Christopher hadn't needed him to be happy. Shaking his head angrily, Mark turned the page. It wasn't Christopher's fault, nor was it his or Lexie's fault. The circumstances had prevented him from knowing about his son.

His eyes focused on the page again and he had to chuckle as he saw Christopher standing in front of a fence, his mouth formed into a big O, his facial expression one of complete astonishment as he pointed with his finger towards the big polar bear behind him.

Mark looked at a few more albums with bittersweet feelings. He had missed out on so much with his son, but he was also grateful that Lexie hadn't forgotten him completely. On the off chance that she would see him again one day she had put all these pictures in albums and looking into the next bag he saw about twenty video tapes. She did everything she could so that he could at least take some glimpses at his son's life.

He grabbed one of the tapes and walked towards the recorder, putting it in without looking at the label. When he sat back down and switched it on, he saw a green field dotted with tons of daisies and heard Lexie shouting from somewhere out of the camera's reach.

_Christopher, come back here. _

Suddenly Christopher appeared at the left corner of the screen, running over the field, pumping his small legs as fast as he could while he screamed in delight. But then he made the mistake to look back at his mother and began to stumble so that Lexie could catch up to him and howl him from the ground.

_Gotcha!_

The running had apparently exhausted Christopher and he leaned his head against the shoulder of his mother and she looked into his face, brushing the sweaty hair away from his forehead to press a kiss against it and Mark felt a lump in his throat as he watched Lexie sitting down with his son on her lap and rocking slightly back and forth, humming a slow song against Christopher's cheek.

Mark paused the tape and stared for several minutes at the picture on the screen. Both Lexie and Christopher had their eyes closed. Christopher's fist was curled into Lexie's shirt and she had wrapped her arms securely around him. It was a picture of complete peace, the love mother and son shared clearly evident. He couldn't have wished for a better mother for his child.

He could see with every picture Lexie had taken, with every tape she'd made that his son might have spent his first five years without a father but he definitely was loved by all the people that surrounded him. He just wished he could have been there from the start.

~M&L~

"Thank you again for the photos and videos. I really appreciate the effort you obviously put into creating this impressive collection." Mark said quietly as he stepped beside her in the scrub room.

Lexie paused in the procedure of scrubbing in and looked at him with a small smile on her face. "You're welcome."

They continued silently to wash and brush their arms until Lexie broke the silence. "So you like them?"

Mark held his hands up and walked towards the door to the operating room. As he turned around to walk through it backwards, he locked eyes with her for a brief second, sending her a smile that shot liquid heat straight to her lower region. "They are amazing."

Lexie stared at the now closed door while the water was dripping down from her hands. She wasn't even aware that she was standing over the sink with her mouth wide open. "I'm screwed." She muttered to herself before she followed Mark into the operating room.

After they'd scrubbed out after the surgery Mark leaned against the wall, waiting for her to finish before he asked her. "Did you talk to Christopher?"

"Yes, I did." Lexie replied. "I checked our schedules. We have both next Saturday off. So I was thinking about going to the park if that's alright."

"That's fine with me." Mark nodded and added. "Shall I pick you up?"

"No, we better meet at the park."

"So how about ten?"

"Ten sounds great." Lexie said, giving him a shy smile. "It's the park right around the corner from our apartment."

"I'll meet you there then."

"Yeah, we'll meet you there."

~M&L~

Despite Christopher saying that he maybe didn't want to play with Mark he had been drawn to him the moment they met Mark at the park and Lexie had been relieved that there wasn't any awkwardness between them. She could actually sit on a bench and enjoy the sunny day while Mark was playing with Christopher.

Mark crouched beside Christopher and followed his yearning gaze as he watched another boy on the swings. The boy was shrieking with excitement as his dad was pushing him higher and higher towards the sky.

"I bet your mom never let you swing so high, right?" Mark asked him.

"She always says it's too dangerous and her face gets really, really white when she watches other kids swing so high."

"Give me a sec, okay?" Mark said before he stood up and walked towards Lexie.

"Lex, can I take him on the swings?"

"Why do you ask?" Lexie looked up from the book she was reading because she wanted to give Mark some time alone with Christopher and since Christopher didn't seem to mind she'd given them some space.

"I don't want you to faint." Mark smirked.

"Why would I faint?" Lexie asked puzzled.

"Christopher told me that you are always looking sick when you watch the other kids."

"Of course you want to swing as high as you can." Lexie rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

"Yeah, of course." Mark replied and the boyish grin on his face made her smile in response. "Okay, but be careful."

"Okay, buddy." Mark put his hand on Christopher's shoulder when he reached him again and pushed him gently towards the swings. "Let's go."

"She said yes?" Christopher asked surprised.

"But you have to swing with me." Mark replied as they stopped before the swing set. "Is that okay?"

"We are going to swing as high as he?" Christopher asked excited, pointing to a boy two swings to the right.

"Definitely." Mark said, grinning down at Christopher.

"Yeah, I want to swing with you." Christopher grabbed Mark's hand and dragged him with him.

"Easy, Christopher." Mark smiled at his eagerness. "Let's see first if the swings will hold us both."

Lexie had to smile as she saw Mark examining the swings, jerking at the chains as if to make sure that they would hold both their weights and she stood up and walked slowly towards them and as she came nearer she heard Christopher's excited voice shouting. "Can we swing now, Mark."

"It looks okay." Mark sat down on the swings and stretched his arms out. "Hop on."

Mark bent down and scooped him up until Christopher was sitting on his lap. His legs were straddling Mark's waist and he wrapped an arm around Christopher's back to hold him secure against his chest while Christopher tightened his arms around his neck.

"Ready?" Mark leaned back and looked into Christopher's excited eyes, waiting for him to nod. "Hold on tight." He said before he walked backwards, pulling the swings back with them before he released them and started to swing. He felt Christopher's arms tightening around his neck as they went higher and higher and he whispered into his ear. "High enough?"

Christopher took in a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh before he let out an excited shriek when Mark bent back a little bit to get them even higher and while Mark swung them back and forth Christopher's laughter reached his ears and he pressed him further into his body.

After a few minutes Mark slowed down and stopped the swings as he put his legs back to the ground and Christopher leaned back from ear to ear. "More." He demanded and Mark laughed out loud.

"Okay, but let's see if your mother wants to join us."

Christopher turned his gaze expectantly around to his mother and Mark said with a slight challenge in his voice. "Come on, Lex. Don't be a sissy. Join us."

"I don't know." Lexie looked sceptically at the swings directly beside Mark and Christopher.

"Come on , Mommy." Christopher shouted. "It's fun."

Lexie gave the swings a last scrutinizing look before she shrugged her shoulders and sat down. When she pulled back with her hands firmly wrapped around the chains, Christopher and Mark turned their heads towards her, both wearing the almost exact grin on their faces.

"You don't have to swing as high as we, Mommy. I don't want you to be scared." Christopher said earnestly and Lexie had to bit her tongue to suppress the laughter.

But before she could say anything Mark pushed his swings back and shot her a lopsided grin. "Ready?" And when Lexie nodded silently he said. "Then let's go."

Lexie couldn't remember the last time she felt that carefree as she was swinging steadily back and forth, listening to the laughter of her son while he was swinging as high as Mark could get them without toppling over. This day had definitely been a success.

~M&L~

"Mommy, mommy, look. Mark and I made a kite." Christopher ran towards her and Lexie had to stop him with her hands so that he wouldn't run her over.

"Let me take a look."

Christopher showed her proudly the kite and Lexie admired it properly, knowing that Mark had done most of the work because it looked way too neat to be assembled by Christopher.

"Very nice." Lexie said as she turned it around in her hands to look at it from all sides.

"I just wanted to show it to you before we let it fly."

Christopher stretched out his hands and Lexie gave the kite back to him. The kite was half as big as he and he had problems to carry it but Mark didn't try to help because he knew that Christopher wanted to make his way back to him on his own without help.

"He is good with him." Lexie turned her head around towards Emily's voice, smiling broadly. "I know. I can see it."

"You know, you two have to tell him the truth someday."

"But not yet. They just begin to get to know each other. It's too soon." Lexie replied because after all Mark and Christopher had only spent four days together so far. "I want to give them a little more time until I drop the bomb on Christopher. I want him to like Mark first so that it'll make the whole thing easier."

"Look at them, Lexie." Emily pointed towards Mark and Christopher as Mark leaned down to tie the kite to the cord. "Look at Christopher's face. He adores him."

Lexie looked closer and had to admit that Emily was right. Christopher looked up at Mark as if he was some kind of a superhero. She really hoped it would make it easier for him to accept that Mark was his father.

"You need to run really fast so that it'll get up in the air." Mark explained, laying his hand on Christopher's shoulder. "Do you think you can do it?"

"Yeah." Christopher nodded enthusiastically and Mark gave him the cord.

"I'll go over there and you'll give me enough line so that I can walk over there, okay?"

"Yes." Christopher said quickly, wrapping his fingers firmly around the cord.

"When I stop you need to pull the string taut and when I say 'Now' you're running as fast as you can."

Mark walked a few feet away from him and held the kite up in the air and waited for Christopher to tauten the string and when he yelled 'now' Christopher started to run but he wasn't fast enough and the kite crashed back to the ground. After a few more tries Mark saw Christopher's lip starting to quiver and he walked over to him, kneeling down to get on eye-level with him.

"I'm not fast enough." Christopher's eyes welled up with tears.

"What about I'm helping you?" Mark asked quietly.

"How?"

"You are gonna hold the cord and Lexie is going to hold the kite and I'll take you in my arms and be your legs." Mark explained. "How about that?"

"Okay." Christopher replied with a still quivering voice.

"Lexie?" Mark shouted towards her. "Can you come over here? We need your help."

"What's up?" Lexie asked the moment she reached them.

"I need you to hold the kite."

"Sure." Lexie grabbed the kite and walked a few feet away, holding it up above her head.

"Okay, Christopher." Mark said. "Do you have a good hold on the string?"

Christopher tightened his fingers even more around the cord and nodded, so Mark scooped him up in his arms.

"Okay, put one arm around my neck and I'll help you a little bit with the cord."

Christopher wrapped one arm around Mark's neck and his legs around his waist and Mark adjusted him in his arms until he had a good hold of him.

"Good to go?" Mark looked into his face and Christopher grinned at him, patting him on the shoulder. "Good to go, Mark."

"Lex, we are ready. On my mark. One, two, ... three."

On three Mark started to run, feeling the kite pull at the cord and Christopher's excited shouts were ringing in his ears. "Faster, faster, Mark."

"Look, Mark." Christopher yelled excitedly, hopping up and down on Mark's waist. "Our kite is flying."

"I can see it." Mark replied, looking up in the sky with his son firmly in his arms.

Lexie watched them from her position and realized in that exact moment that she didn't have the slightest chance. Both their hairs were tousled by the wind, their cheeks bright red and both were grinning from ear to ear as they watched the kite. Every minute she spent with Mark made her fall for him more and more. The fact that he was getting along with Christopher that well didn't make it any easier to fight those feelings she had for him.

"That bad?" Emily said quietly and Lexie only shook her head, telling her silently that she wasn't ready to talk about it. As long as she didn't speak about her feelings she could pretend that they weren't real but her heart told her that it was way too late to pretend anything.

~M&L~

"Okay, right there. You have to be gentle so that it doesn't rupture." Mark explained. "Yeah, exactly like that."

"You two are making a great team." Roger said from his place at the head of the patient.

Mark raised one eyebrow and looked at him inquiringly. Something in Roger's tone made him suspicious. The big grin he gave them only made it obvious that he wasn't only talking about their surgical skills.

"Roger, we are trying to concentrate here." Lexie replied harshly, her eyes never leaving their patient.

"I'm disturbing your concentration by saying that you two make a great team?" Roger said teasingly.

Lexie stopped what she was doing for a second and looked annoyed up at Roger. "Shut up, Roger."

"Yes, ma'am." Roger lifted his hand and saluted her. Lexie only rolled her eyes but Mark had to hide a smirk. Because Roger was right. They definitely made a great team and if he remembered right not only in the operating room.

Concentrating on the patient again, Mark shoved his thoughts about Lexie and a bed in a corner of his brain. For the next few hours Lexie was only a surgeon who operated with him on a patient. Nothing else.

As they walked towards the exit after they'd changed into their street clothes, Roger threw his arm around Lexie, pulling her into him, announcing cheerfully. "What about drinks at McNamara's? Are you in?"

"I can use a drink." Mark agreed. "What about you Lex? Are you gonna join us?"

Lexie wanted to tell him that she needed to get Christopher from Emily and put him to bed when a voice from behind them cut her off before she could utter a word.

"Dr. Sloan, can I have a word?"

Mark froze in his spot and Lexie stopped walking and turned around curiously, watching Mark's stunned face before her gaze wandered to the person who had just addressed him. Mark turned around slowly and looked at the person who stood a few feet away as if he was seeing a ghost.

"You just left without saying good-bye, Dr. Sloan! Not a testimony of your good manners."

* * *

**Hmm, who might it be? Yeah, I know. I'm a tease. I'll try to update as fast as I can. :-)**

**By the way, I made a new M/L vid over the weekend. If anyone is interested here is the link. You know, you just have to remove the blanks and replace the word dot with an actual 'dot'. :-) But be warned, it's pretty sad. www. youtube dot com watch?v= 4ZtegjDgBd4**


	7. Chapter 7

**I had this chapter almost completely written on Saturday but then my computer crashed and it was gone and I needed to rewrite it. So this took longer than expected. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

"Let's give them some space." Lexie said, taking Roger's arm and pulling him away.

But he stopped at the nurse station, not willing to miss out on the opportunity to at least watch them from afar. Curious herself Lexie turned and studied the man standing in front of Mark. She guessed him to be in his early thirties, like Roger and she. He was a very handsome man but something in his eyes told her that his life hadn't been easy. There was just something surrounding him.

"Do you think he is gay?" Roger's question pulled her out of her reveries.

"Haven't we established that Mark is not gay?" Lexie rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

"Not Mark. The other one."

Lexie returned her gaze to the two men, now engaged in an obviously heated discussion. Lexie could see hurt and betrayal in the other man's eyes. He was definitely pissed at Mark.

"I don't know, Roger. Could be. You probably have to ask Emily." Lexie shrugged one shoulder. "You know, I never can tell if a man is gay or straight."

"You were sure with Mark."

"Well, I have first hand experience with him." Lexie said, trying not to blush when she thought of the exact nature of this experience.

"He could have still been bi." Roger told her matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, maybe."

"You don't think Emily was wrong, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Lexie asked.

"You don't think he is a former lover or something like that."

Lexie's eyes shot back to Mark and she watched them for a few seconds before she shook her head. "No, it's not that kind of love."

"Not that kind of love?"

"I don't know." Lexie replied thoughtfully. "It just doesn't look like passionate love. It's … it's more like a brother thing, I guess."

"So you think it's his brother?"

"Might be. But we won't know for sure until Mark tells us."

~M&L~

"Seth! What are you doing here?" Mark asked the moment Roger and Lexie were out of earshot.

"Reminding you that not everything in Seattle was bad." Seth replied, balling his hands to fists, pushing them deeper into the pockets of his jacket, not trusting himself to not hit Mark if he would pull them out.

"I know that." Mark said calmly.

"You have friends in Seattle, you know?" Seth told him angrily. "Friends who don't appreciate it when you just leave without a word."

"How do you even know where to find me?" Mark asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"Lucy told me."

"I told her not to say anything to anyone." Mark huffed out frustrated.

"She loves you." Seth said quietly "She loves you as much as I love you."

"I don't need you to ..."

"Damn it, Mark!" Seth gritted out through clenched teeth. "Would you just let others help you? For once? You only give and give and give and you never take anything in return."

"I'm not a saint." Mark said, starting to feel uncomfortable.

"You saved my life, Mark."

"I'm sure every other doctor would have done the same." Mark tried to play it down.

"YOU SAVED MY LIFE." Seth said slowly, emphasizing every single word. "Even though I didn't make it easy for you."

"Yeah, I don't know why I even bothered."

"A lot of people would have given up on me after the first time." Seth pulled one hand out and laid it on Mark's shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "You didn't."

"Seth, can we please let the past be the past? You know I don't wanna talk about it."

"You are the big brother I never had, Mark. At least I thought we are more than random friends."

"We are, Seth." Mark assured him.

"Then why did you leave?"

"I just couldn't stay any longer. Seattle was suffocating me."

"Are you feeling better now?" Seth stared intently into his eyes and Mark gave him a lopsided grin.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Has this anything to do with this gorgeous woman over there?"

Mark turned around and followed Seth's gaze, smiling when he saw Lexie trying to get to Roger's phone while he was fending her off with one arm. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"She is the one, isn't she?"

"The one?"

"The mother of your son."

"How do you even ..." Mark stopped mid-sentence and ran his hand frustrated through his hair. "Of course, Lucy told you."

"I can't wait to meet him."

"So you are staying for a while?" Mark asked, not wanting to talk about Lexie and his son right now.

"Mark, I ..." Seth's eyes wandered back to Roger and Lexie before he said quietly. "I missed you. So yeah, I'm staying for a while."

Mark pulled him awkwardly into his arms, slapping his hand on his back. "Okay then. You can stay at my place."

Seth gave him a sheepish grin when he pulled back, Mark's embrace had caught him by surprise. He knew Mark wasn't homophobic, he was just not a touchy guy when it came to his friends. But you could count on him. No matter what happened he always stood by your side without wavering one step and Seth was very grateful for having such a good friend in his life.

Seth cleared his throat, trying to get a hold of his emotions by changing the subject. "Do I read the signs correctly?"

"Signs?" Mark furrowed his brows before it suddenly dawned on him since Seth's eyes were glued to Roger. "Yeah, you are reading the signs correctly. But I don't think he is the kind of guy for a one-night stand.

"Who said anything about a one-night stand?" Seth replied, a big grin adorning his face.

"Besides, isn't he way too thin?" Mark asked.

"No. He looks just fine."

"I can see that you think that." Mark shook his head as Seth almost devoured Roger with his eyes. "Doesn't mean you have to undress him with your eyes."

"Oh, I'm planning to undress him not only with my eyes."

"You are incorrigible." Mark stated exasperatedly. "Come on, I'll introduce you."

~M&L~

"So what's your verdict? Is he gay?"

Lexie snorted and answered without looking over to Mark and the other man. "I might be out of the game for quite some time now. But I still recognize flirtatious looks." Roger raised an eye brow quizzically and a big grin split up Lexie's face. "And he is not looking at me."

"So you think he might be interested?"

"I'm sure Mark is gonna take him with him to McNamara's. You can grill him then."

Suddenly Roger's face lit up and he pulled out his phone and dialed a number, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up.

"Who are you calling?" Lexie asked curiously but Roger just raised his finger.

_"Roger, everything okay? Why did you call?"_

"I need you to look after Christopher for a little longer."

_"Why?"_

"Are you insane?" Lexie asked stunned, reaching for the phone, trying to wrench it out of Roger's grip. When she couldn't get the phone, she leaned forward and shouted into the receiver. "He is just kidding. I'm almost on my way."

_"What's going on, Roger?"_

"It's about Mark."

_"What about him? Don't tell me they finally decided to jump into bed with each other."_

Roger chuckled and Lexie furrowed her brows, wondering what the two were talking about.

"Yeah, you and I both wish it would finally happen."

"What would finally happen?"

"Nothing." Roger replied innocently before he turned his attention back to the phone call. "No, Emily. Mark just got a surprise visit from Seattle."

_"A woman? Is she a former lover? How does she look like?"_

"He looks mighty fine."

_"He?"_

"Yes. It's a he and I can't wait to hear the story because he doesn't look very pleased with Mark. Oh, and he is gay."

_"How do you wanna know that? Remember, my gay radar doesn't work over the phone."_

"Lexie said he flirted with me."

_"So you want to check him out."_

"He looks really hot, Emily."

_"And for what do you need Lexie?"_

"Because she is as curious as I am who this mysterious guy is." Roger explained. "So maybe it's better Christopher stays overnight."

"He is not staying overnight and I'm not going with you to McNamara's. I'm going ..." Lexie stopped abruptly when Roger lifted his hand and cradled her cheek in his palm, rubbing his finger over her lip. It was such a male gesture, so completely out of character for Roger that he'd stunned her into silence.

"Just stop fighting it."

"I don't fight anything." Lexie murmured under her breath, averting her gaze when she saw the knowing look in Roger's eyes.

"Don't tell me you don't almost burst with curiosity. Judging from their heated conversation the story must be good."

"I should really go home."

"Lexie?"

Lexie looked up into his eyes again and sighed out heavily. "Yeah, okay. You're right. I am curious."

"Did you hear that, Emily?"

_"Yes, loud and clear. Christopher, your mum wants to talk to you?"_

Roger held the phone towards Lexie and she grabbed it, waiting for her son to come to the phone.

_"Hey, mommy."_

"Hey, honey. Listen, Roger and I would like to go out for a little while. Do you mind sleeping at Emily's tonight?"

_"Do I get cocoa in bed?"_

Lexie smiled as she heard the eagerness in his voice. Kids were too smart for their own good. He knew that she felt guilty about not taking him home tonight and that he might get away with things she wouldn't allow him otherwise.

"Yes, you can drink a cup of cocoa. But that's an exception. Don't try to beg for one every night."

_"Emily, mum said I can have cocoa."_

Lexie heard him shouting over the line and Emily answering him but she couldn't make out the words.

_"Emily says she can make me one."_

"Be good! Love you, honey."

_"Love you too, mommy."_

When Lexie ended the call Roger wrapped his arm around her shoulder, his eyes shining with excitement. "Then let's find out the story behind the mysterious guy, shall we?"

~M&L~

Lexie couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun. Seth was a great guy, entertaining them with stories about Mark, painting him as kind of a hero and even though Mark tried to tell them over and over again that Seth was overexaggerating Lexie assumed that everything was true. Mark didn't want to admit it but he cared a lot about his patients. He was a great doctor.

"So how do you two meet?" Roger asked after he came back from the bar with another round, finally asking the question he wanted to ask all evening.

Lexie caught out of the corner of her eye how Mark and Seth exchanged a look. Seth was probably a part of another of Mark's hero stories but he threw Seth a warning look, telling him silently that this was not the time to tell their story and Seth gave him a slight nod. This silent exchange made Lexie even more curious but she wouldn't pry.

"He almost ran me over." Seth said and Lexie was watching Mark intently, seeing how he was hiding a smirk upon hearing Seth's explanation. Apparently Seth was staying as close to the truth as possible. "On the street. I didn't have any visible injuries but he still decided to take me with him to check me out. Well, and that's how we met."

Seth smiled broadly at Mark but Lexie was pretty good in reading body language and she could see the deep gratitude in Seth's eyes. She guessed that there was a whole lot more to the story and hopefully one day Mark would tell her the whole truth but for now she would let it rest.

They had such an enjoyable evening and she had never seen Mark that relaxed. She wouldn't destroy it by asking questions, both Mark and Seth apparently weren't willing to answer.

"Okay, guys. So how about some shots?" Lexie jumped up from her stool and leaned forward on her hands, grinning wickedly. "We need something to toast with."

"To toast on what?" Mark asked suspiciously and couldn't help smiling when a grin erupted on Lexie's face. "On the superhero Mark Sloan."

Mark leaned forward and buried his head in his hands, murmuring through his fingers. "He was overexaggerating."

Lexie bent down and patted his shoulder. "I'm still going to buy these shots."

As she turned around she couldn't help grinning from ear to ear when she heard Mark mutter. "Women!"

An hour later they were standing in front of the bar saying their good-byes.

"See you tomorrow?" Mark asked, pulling the labels of Lexie's jacket together when he saw her shiver.

"See you tomorrow." Lexie smiled up at him, putting one hand over his and they were staring into each other's eyes for a long minute before Mark stepped back and cleared his throat. "Come on, Seth. Let's go home."

"Good-night, Lexie." Seth said, leaning down to give her a kiss on her cheek before he turned around to Roger.

As he shook his hand, his thumb brushed over Roger's thumb and a shiver ran down Roger's spine when their eyes met and Seth's mouth pulled up in a lopsided grin, making Roger's heart jump.

"It was very nice to meet you, Roger. I hope we can repeat this another time."

"I sure hope so, Seth." Roger smiled and almost took a step back in surprise when Seth leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against his lips before he turned around and followed Mark to his apartment.

Lexie wrapped her arm around Roger's waist and leaned her head against his shoulder as they followed the two men with their eyes until they rounded the corner.

"What a sight!" Lexie sighed. "Two gorgeous men."

"Yeah." Roger said quietly, trailing one finger over his lips. "Gorgeous indeed."


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm really, really sorry for the long wait. Real life is a pain in the ass currently. My work load is so insane that I can hardly take a break during the day (not even to pee) and when I come home all I can do is crash on the couch. And then my muse discovered another couple she can't shut up about. Add to this all the shows I'm watching and you come up with hardly any spare time for writing. But I promise I'll try to update more frequently from now on. This story is already completely planned out I just have to find the time to sit down and write it. Okay, enough with this ridiculous long author's note. On with the story!**

**This chapter has a little more Roger and Seth in it. I needed them to tell you a little bit more about Mark's past. I know some of you can't wait for Mark and Lexie to finally get together and I promise, you won't have to wait much longer but we are not there yet. :-) Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"Are you checking him for injuries?" Mark asked, amusement clear in his voice but Lexie also heard the hint of hurt in it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't really think that anything would happen to him while he is with you. It's just ..."

"It was the first time I was alone with him. I understand."

"I know it's ridiculous ..."

"There is nothing ridiculous about it. You are just being a mother."

"I just couldn't help it."

"Mark, come on." Christopher grabbed his hand and pulled him towards his room in the back of the apartment. "I want to show you the painting."

"I hope you don't mind." Mark said over his shoulder as he followed Christopher down the floor. "He made me promise that I will take a look at the painting he drew in kindergarten a few days ago."

"No, of course not. Go ahead." Lexie said, following them to Christopher's room. Before she even rounded the corner she could hear Christopher's exited voice.

"Look! I drew all of us. This is Seth and Roger. Over there is Emily and here am I with you and mom."

Mark stared at the picture and a sudden lump formed in his throat as he saw how Christopher had drawn himself between Lexie and him, both holding one of his hands. Of course they were all only stick man but they looked like a happy family and he wished nothing more than to tell him right then and there that he was his father.

As he looked up his eyes met Lexie's and he could see the understanding in them as she nodded slightly, her lips forming the word 'soon' without making a sound and Mark relaxed a little, giving her a small smile before he turned around to his son again, leaning down to press a kiss on his hair.

"I need to go, Christopher."

"Already?" Christopher asked, slightly disappointed. "I want to show you my slot car racing track."

"Another time. Okay?"

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Christopher took him completely by surprise as he threw himself in Mark's arms and hugged him tightly and Mark closed his eyes as he felt Christopher's lips against his cheek, giving him a wet kiss.

"Thanks for going to the zoo with me."

"Anytime, bro. Anytime."

"How about this weekend?" Christopher asked eagerly, making Mark chuckle. "I need to check my schedule. But if I'm off we could definitely go to the zoo again. If it's okay with your mom, of course."

"Mommy, can we go?"

"Of course." Lexie replied. "I hope I can join you."

"See!" Christopher leaned back into his arms and beamed up at him. "No problem."

Lexie watched them from the door and she felt a ridiculous pang of jealousy as she saw her son in the arms of his father. Because it _was_ ridiculous to be jealous of her own son but she couldn't help feeling a deep longing in the pit of her stomach. She needed to do something against it very soon. She couldn't pine after Mark forever. She knew she had to make a decision. Either making a move and tell him how she felt about him or stepping back and shoving her feelings back into the depths of her brain and heart.

She shook herself inwardly as she watched Mark saying good-bye to their son and she accompanied him to the door but walking behind him just made her realize how handsome he was, especially when he wore casual clothes. He definitely filled out a jeans very nicely and she just thought that he had a magnificent ass.

When they reached the door Mark turned around to her and one look into his eyes and she almost forgot why she hadn't jumped him already. But she couldn't do it. They shouldn't do it. But she still couldn't help to reach up and press a kiss against his cheek.

Mark was taken by surprise the second time within a few minutes as Lexie stood up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss against his cheek, one of her hands trailing along his other cheek and his head already moved, the urge to meet her lips with his just unbearable. But his lips only brushed along her cheek before she stepped back, her fingers lingering on his skin a few more seconds before she gave him a shaky smile and cleared her throat.

"Thanks for going to the zoo with him. It meant a lot."

"You know I love every minute I can spend with him. But ..."

"I know it's not enough. We'll talk to him soon. I promise."

Suddenly Mark realized that her hand was still pressed against his chest and he gulped hard as he realized that his hand rested on her hip. He didn't even notice that he had put it there. But his fingers curled into the fabric of her blouse of their own accord and he held her gaze. It felt like hours as they were staring in each other's eyes, the air filled with a tension so thick that he had problems to breathe.

She could feel his hand on her waist and Lexie's eyes flickered down to his lips. She wanted to kiss him. She really did. But this was neither the time nor the place. Christopher was only a few feet away in his room and she knew if she would kiss him now she wouldn't be able to stop. She could see that he wanted her too. Flames of desire seemed to radiate from his body. Suddenly his fingers moved and her body shivered as they slipped under her blouse, meeting naked skin.

She needed to stop him, his fingers already shot liquid fire through her veins and if she would let him touch her one second longer she would rip her clothes off. Her nipples were straining painfully against their confines and her center was throbbing, making her heart race. She drew in a deep breath and collected all her will power as she stepped away from him, feeling the loss of his hand immediately. Yanking the door open, she didn't look him in the eyes, certain that if she would look into their blue depths she would lose control.

"See you tomorrow, Mark."

Mark stood frozen to the spot for a few seconds until his brain was able to function again and he stepped out of her apartment. "See you tomorrow, Lexie."

The moment the door closed behind him, Mark slumped against the wall opposite of the door, staring blankly at the wood that separated him from the woman his body was burning for. Did he read the signs wrong? He was sure she wanted him but she had pulled away and closed the door into his face.

Mark took in some deep breaths, balling his hands into fists beside his body as sudden realization hit him. What was he thinking? He had almost thrown her against the wall and fucked her senseless. With his son only a few feet away. But as she kissed him on his cheek every common sense had washed out of his brain, his body taking over as it demanded to pull her into him and bury himself inside her.

Shaking himself, he pushed away from the wall, throwing one last look at the door before he turned around and walked towards the stairs. He needed to burn some energy, hence the stairs not the elevator. Maybe he should walk home, instead of taking a cab. It might calm him down. Because he definitely needed to calm down.

~M&L~

Roger walked through the sliding doors, whistling the newest hit from the radio. He couldn't remember the last time he was that happy. He had awesome friends, a job he loved and a new man in his life who he thought could turn out to be in his life for a very long time.

The tune died on his lips as he heard screaming from the parking lot. He searched the lot with his eyes until he saw two figures kicking against a form laying on the ground. Without even thinking about it he raced over there, shouting frantically.

"What are you doing? Get the hell away from this man."

Both men were wearing hoodies, the hoods drawn down over their foreheads so that Roger couldn't make out their faces. But when they heard him shouting they stopped beating the person on the ground and ran away.

Roger hurried over to the groaning figure on the ground and a sharp yelp escaped his throat when the person stood up on his feet with some effort and turned around to him.

"God, Seth. Are you okay?" Roger raised his hand and tilted Seth's face towards the light, realizing that his question was utterly stupid. "Sorry, of course you're not alright. Let's just ..."

"I'm fine." Seth replied hoarsely, pressing one hand against his rips, trying to catch his breath. "I don't think anything is broken."

"Let's get you inside. You have some pretty nasty gashes on your face."

"I'm sure it's nothing, Roger."

"We still need to clean it up, so stop arguing."

"Okay."

Roger wrapped his arm around Seth's waist, supporting him while they walked slowly towards the hospital entrance. No one noticed them entering. The emergency room was surprisingly quiet and Roger put Seth in the next trauma room, helping him on the gurney before he took a closer look at his face.

"I think this one is going to be just fine with a butterfly bandage." Roger's fingers ghosted over the gash on Seth's cheekbone. "But this one ..." Roger pointed towards Seth's eyebrow. "... this one needs stitches."

Seth knew Roger was right, the blood was still running down his cheek from the gash directly above his eyebrow and he also knew what Roger would suggest next and he didn't like it.

"I know Mark is still here. Let me get him."

"No!" Seth almost shouted, digging his fingers into Roger's arms so that he couldn't run off. "No."

"Seth, you need to get stitched up."

"Don't call Mark."

"Why?"

"He is gonna be all protective and I really can't deal with him right now."

"Okay." Roger said quietly, putting a hand on Seth's shoulder. "So just tell me. Why did they beat you up?"

"Because I'm such a pretty boy?" Seth replied, trying to joke.

Roger inhaled a sharp breath, narrowing his eyes dangerously. "They beat you up because you're gay?"

"I didn't say that."

"But you think that's the reason they beat you up, don't you?"

"Roger, we both know there are a lot of people out there who hate what we are."

"Yeah, ignorant sons of bitches."

Seth cracked a smile, wincing when the movement of his mouth shot pain through the left side of his face.

"Well, you still need stitches and I don't get why you don't want to get stitched up by the best plastic surgeon I know, but it's your decision. So can I get Lexie?"

"I would appreciate it." Seth nodded slightly. "Thank you, Roger."

"You're welcome." Roger replied before he left the room to find Lexie.

A few minutes later Roger returned with Lexie and she only took one look at Seth and knew that he didn't want to talk about it so she decided to act like the professional doctor she should be despite the fact that her heart hurt when he saw his battered face.

"Roger is right. This gash definitely needs stitches." Lexie said matter-of-factly, walking around to gather all the supplies she needed to suture him up.

She pulled on some gloves and reached for the ice spray. "Close your eyes, Seth. I think ice spray is enough to numb the pain. But if the pain is too much just tell me."

Seth only nodded his head and closed his eyes so that Lexie could spray the area before she snatched the needle and the thread, beginning to suture the gash.

"Where is he?"

Seth flinched when he heard Mark's voice shouting through the emergency room. "How the hell did he find out?"

"Shhh, hold still." Lexie reprimanded him before she added. "He is Mark Sloan."

"And Mark Sloan knows everything that is going on in his hospital." Seth said resigned.

"Exactly." Lexie replied before the door burst open and an angry Mark entered the room.

"What the hell happened?"

"Would you mind taking it down a notch?" Lexie asked calmly, her hands moving steadily, making the next stitch. "I'm working here."

Lexie hid a smile when she could hear him taking in a deep breath through his nose, exhaling through his mouth. Seth caught her smile and huffed silently so that Mark couldn't hear what he was saying. "It's not funny, Lexie. He is going to get all crazy about this."

"He only goes crazy because he cares about you." Lexie replied quietly and Seth had already opened his mouth to continue the argument but Lexie's comment rendered him speechless.

"What are you two whispering?" Mark asked sharply.

"Nothing." Seth and Lexie replied simultaneously, grinning both when they looked at Mark's annoyed face.

"Are you two ganging up on me?" Mark growled.

"Maybe." Both said simultaneously again.

"Cute. You two are definitely on the same page. What a shame that you can't hook up."

"I'm only on the same page because Seth is gay." Lexie deadpanned, finishing her last stitch before she turned around to Mark, snapping the gloves of her hands. "I love gay men."

"I bet you do." Mark growled before he returned his attention to Seth. "I thought I would never see you in my ER again."

"Mark, you are a plastic surgeon." Seth replied. "The ER is not yours."

"It damn well is when you are ending up in it frequently. What did I tell you the last time?"

"That you would beat the shit out of me yourself when it happens again."

"At least you have enough brain cells left to remember that."

"Mark!" Roger stepped forward, pulling him around by his shoulder.

"What?" Mark snapped.

"I don't have the slightest clue what you two are talking about but I think you should know that it wasn't Seth's fault." Roger said calmly. "He was getting beaten up by two gay-haters in the parking lot."

Mark froze for a second before he turned back to Seth, the anger completely gone, replaced by concern. "Are you okay?"

"It's a little late to ask me that question. Don't you think?"

"Don't be a smartass."

"I'm okay, Mark. It's not like the last time."

"Good." Mark exhaled the breath he had been holding before he added. "But we're still gonna check you out completely. Just to make sure there is no internal bleeding."

"Of course."

Mark stepped closer and put a hand on Seth's shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "I told you the last time you shouldn't scare me like that ever again."

"I know." Seth replied quietly, putting his hand over Mark's. "I didn't intend to scare you."

"I'm just gonna inform a nurse so that we can get an x-ray and a CT."

"You are gonna inform a nurse?" Seth asked incredulously.

"Shut up." Mark replied annoyed.

"Never."

"Yeah, I know. Hell would rather freeze over before you would keep your mouth shut."

"Exactly." Seth deadpanned.

"One day your lippy mouth is gonna kill you." Mark huffed out frustrated before he turned around and walked out of the room to inform the nurses of the required tests.

~M&L~

"He is gonna stay the night at my apartment." Roger said firmly, the moment Seth was wheeled out of the room.

"I don't know if this is such a great idea, Roger." Mark replied.

"I'm not gonna hurt him, Mark. I only take him home to tug him into bed." Roger raised his hand before Mark could interrupt him. "To sleep." When Mark cocked an eyebrow Roger added exasperatedly. "Alone."

Lexie stepped beside him and put a hand on his arm, waiting until he faced her. "You know you can trust him. He will take good care of him."

Mark looked at Roger intently, waiting a few seconds before he said. "Yeah, I trust him. But you better take good care of him or you have to deal with me."

"Aye, aye captain." Roger replied, giving Mark a mock salute before he grabbed Seth's hand and pulled him out of the room.

"I hope I'm not gonna regret it." Mark said quietly and Lexie stepped closer, threading her hand through his arm. "You won't."

~M&L~

They were sitting on the couch in Roger's apartment. Seth was pressing a cool pack against his eye so that it wouldn't swell shut completely. Roger had made him diner. Just a soup. Nothing too fancy. Just something to fill his stomach and warm him up from inside. Seth could feel his glare on him and he knew Roger was curious about what Mark and he had been talking about and considering that he might actually have saved his life Seth realized that he'd earned to know the truth.

"He bought me." Seth said quietly, seeing Roger jerk up with surprise out of the corner of his eye.

"What?"

"Mark ..." Seth replied. "He bought me."

"He did what?" Roger asked.

"He bought me to get me off the streets." Seth stated calmly. "I have to admit I would have probably enjoyed it if he would have wanted me but he didn't. He talked some sense into me, brought me in contact with Lucy. He kind of saved me. I don't think I would be here right now without him. Not that I appreciated his efforts the first time."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at me!" Seth replied, waving his hand up and down his body. "I was born with this body and certain men are willing to pay a lot to have her way with it."

"You couldn't stop." Roger said understandingly.

"No, I couldn't." Seth spoke quietly. "But Mark didn't know. Until I landed in his ER."

"What happened?"

"I ran out of luck."

"What exactly does that mean?"

"One of my clients beat me to a pulp and he wasn't very gentle as he took me." Seth said without any emotion in his voice. "I was a bloody mess and my ass hurt like hell. Mark was furious."

"Understandable." Roger replied dryly.

"Yes, from his point of view it was understandable. But I didn't care at that time."

"What made you change your mind?" Roger asked curiously.

"Mark." Seth stated.

"But how …?" Roger trailed off, not knowing how to finish the question but Seth understood nonetheless.

"By just being him."

"He didn't give up on you."

"Like he never gives up with a patient."

"He is a great doctor."

"And a great friend."

"Yes, he is."

They stayed quiet for a while but suddenly Seth leaned forward, pressing a kiss against Roger's lips.

"No, Seth." Roger said sharply, pushing him back.

"Why not?"

"Because you are hurt and I don't want to hurt you more."

"You wouldn't hurt me."

"Just ... lay down and rest, would you?"

"Can I at least use you as a pillow?"

"Sure."

Roger stroked over his hair, not knowing if it helped anything. But he felt how Seth relaxed under his caresses and as his fingers brushed over his cheek he felt the wetness. He looked down at Seth's face but Seth turned his face into his thigh, clearly not wanting him to see him weeping like a little boy. But when Roger continued to stroke over his hair and back he could feel Seth tremble under his hands.

"It's okay." Roger said quietly. "Being a man doesn't mean you can't break down when you get hurt, you know. We are allowed to cry, too. You don't have to be tough. I'm not gonna use your weakness against you. Trust me. Just let go."

Roger's soft voice and his hands stroking over him were what finally broke him and Seth couldn't hold the sobs back any longer. He cried about everything he'd lost in his life. About his parents who he'd lost when he was so young that he had hardly any memories of them, about the foster homes they'd put them in, which were most of the times living hell and about his downfall to the streets, selling his body to everyone who wanted it.

He'd stopped hoping that he could live a normal life, having friends, a family, a man who loved him. But Mark had changed that. He'd showed him that the life he always wanted was still there. He was the big brother he never had, he and Lucy were the family he'd lost a long time ago but his heart had never opened up enough to let a man in. To truly love a man and be loved back.

He'd realized fairly early that he wanted men not women and didn't even try to fight it. He'd lost his virginity in that regard with thirteen in high school with the captain of the football team, Brad. They had a hot affair for one summer before Brad went to college. From this moment on he shared his body with a lot of men, drawing a sick pleasure out of the humiliation and hurt some of them inflicted on him.

Using his body was never about love. Lust? Sure. But love? He always thought that he didn't deserve love, that this was just how his life would be like until he died. He'd made his peace with it a long time ago and honestly he'd expected to die on the streets or by the hands of one of his clients. He had been on a self destructing path, on the way of throwing his life away.

But one day Mark showed up in his life and didn't rest until Seth realized that he had still a life worth living. Mark didn't come into his life as a lover, only as a friend. But now he was lying on the couch with a man who cared, a man who cared about _him_, about _his_ well-being and he lost the battle against the tears, the wall around his heart crumbled and he scrambled up, pressing his face into Roger's chest, wrapping his arms around him so hard that he feared he would break his ribs but Roger didn't shove him away, he only tightened his arms around him and let him cry it all out.

They could talk about it later. Right now Seth needed to get it all out and Roger would make sure to show him one day that he was a man who didn't only love his body but also his soul. He would show him. When the time was right.


	9. Chapter 9

**Because it's been a while since the last update I thought you deserve an extra long chapter and yes, including the part a lot of you have been waiting for. I hope you enjoy! :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"Are we still on for dinner, tonight?" Mark asked as they walked down the surgical floor after they'd just scrubbed out of surgery.

"I won't call eating by McDonalds dinner." Lexie laughed softly. "But yes. Christopher is already very excited. Are you gonna pick us up?"

"Sure. Six o'clock, okay?"

"Perfect."

"Well, well, well. Look at that. I would have expected it to be a lot easier to track you down."

Lexie hid a smirk, expecting another visitor from Seattle who would give Mark a hard time because he had disappeared without a word but when she turned around a frown appeared between her eyes as she saw a stunning redhead walk towards them. Looking curiously up at Mark, Lexie searched his face, wondering what this woman meant to him but judging by the appreciative look-over the redhead was giving Mark they were more than just friends. He was a very handsome man and it shouldn't surprise her that former lovers appeared on his doorstep to see if they could have him back.

Lexie tried to mash down the jolts of jealousy that pounced through her body. She had no right to be possessive of him. He wasn't her boyfriend. But when she saw how the redhead trailed her fingers over Mark's arm she wished he would belong to her. But he didn't and so she could only stand by as the redhead pressed her body against Mark and almost purred into his ear. "I've missed you, Mark."

Lexie already wanted to turn around and leave them alone, convinced that they would go to the next on-call room and celebrate their reunion with a round of wild sex, as Mark's harsh voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"What is this? The month of the surprise visits? Did you bring your ex-husband with you, too?" He almost pushed her back and Lexie could see his fingers tighten around the arms of the other woman, his eyes blazing with anger. "Go back to Seattle, Addison, and leave me the hell alone."

Indignation flared up in her eyes and she turned around to face Lexie, looking her up and down, clearly thinking that she was the reason Mark reacted so cold towards her.

"He is a selfish bastard." Addison lashed out. "He will always do whatever he wants, no matter the consequences. He doesn't care about other people. He never did, he never will."

"Yeah, I know." Mark jerked his head around to her with a surprised look on his face. She didn't sound angry, her voice sounded confident, her whole posture radiating calmness.

"But of course you're head over heels in love with him." Addison scoffed. "He is amazing in bed but you can't count on him as soon as you're not willing to spread your legs for him whenever he wants."

Lexie's face went eerily pale and Mark was surprised about the anger that seemed to seep out of every pore of her body as she stepped forward. "If I spread my legs for him or not is none of your goddamn business. You heard, Dr. Sloan. Get the hell out of this hospital and spout your venom somewhere else."

"Just be sure that you don't catch some STD's. Looking at the string of women he slept with I wouldn't be surprised if he has not only one but a few." Addison hissed before she turned around on her heels and stalked away.

Mark didn't want to look at Lexie, certain that he would see disdain on her face and he couldn't handle seeing her disappointment. "I'm sorry, Lex."

"God, what an awful woman!" Lexie said vehemently, putting a hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

"You are asking if _I'm_ okay?" Mark asked completely baffled. "Are _you_ okay?"

"I'm fine." Lexie smiled.

"Not that I'm complaining. But why are you so calm?" Mark questioned, completely taken by surprise by her reaction. "Why aren't you shouting at me, telling me to stay the hell away from our son?"

"Because she is partially right." Lexie said calmly and Mark flinched under her hand. Of course she would believe what Addison had thrown in her face. Lexie could see that he completely misinterpreted her statement and she squeezed his shoulder, waiting for him to look at her before she said. "You almost always do whatever you want without thinking about the consequences."

"And that's a good thing?" Mark asked, clearly at a loss what she was trying to get across.

"It is ... when you are saving lives." Mark arched one eye brow in question, asking her silently to elaborate and Lexie smiled at him. "Roger told me that you saved Seth. He didn't give me any details but he said you saved his life. Twice. I can imagine you didn't give the consequences much thought."

"It wasn't that big of a deal." Mark tried to shrug it off.

"Didn't sound that way. Besides, I also talked to Lucy."

"How do you know Lucy?"

"She called Seth yesterday when I was at Roger's and when she realized that I was there she wanted to talk to me."

"So the two are living together now?" Mark turned his head, staring blankly down the corridor.

"Apparently." Lexie said and as Mark stiffened she couldn't help reaching up to put her hand against his cheek, turning his head around so that he was forced to face her before she pulled her hand back. "Mark, he won't hurt him. You know that. You know Roger."

"I know." Mark agreed. "But it doesn't stop me from worrying. At least living with Roger means that he will stay away from the streets. What did Lucy tell you?"

"Actually not much. She just wanted to get to know me. I like her."

"I'm sure she likes you, too."

Lexie tilted her head and watched him intently. "I know it's not really my business but what was that all about?"

"The past catching up with me." Mark said quietly, rubbing a hand over his face.

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay. You don't need to ..."

"She aborted my child." Mark blurted out and Lexie froze, staring at him wide-eyed for a few seconds before she grabbed his arm and dragged him to the next on-call room, pushing him in before she closed the door firmly behind her.

As she turned around Mark could see the anger cursing through her eyes and it wasn't anger towards him, she was angry for him and seeing it a big weight was lifted from his heart.

"She did what?" Lexie asked quietly.

"We had an affair. She ..." Mark paused, rubbing his hand over his neck, not knowing how he should tell her about his not so glorious past.

"Mark?" Lexie said carefully, stepping closer until she was standing directly in front of him.

"Yeah?"

"You have a past." Lexie told him quietly, wanting to reach up to cup his face but the vulnerability in his eyes stopped her. The desire to kiss it all better was almost overwhelming and she better kept her distance. "We all have one and I heard the rumors."

"You did?" Mark said, slumping his shoulders. A small part of him had hoped that she didn't know much about his past but he should have known better. "I bet I didn't come off very well, huh?"

"No." Lexie replied. "But I bet the women threw themselves at you. They still do."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't tell me you don't see all the looks they are throwing in your direction."

"What are you talking about?"

"You really don't know." Lexie shook her head slightly, giving him a small smile. "Have you looked in the mirror lately?"

"Every morning when I trim my beard." Mark said puzzled. "Why?"

"Exactly."

"You've lost me."

"Mark, you aren't this man anymore." Lexie said firmly. "The man who slept around, having God knows how many different women in one week. I'm sure you were a cocky, selfish bastard, knowing damn well how handsome you are."

"You think I'm handsome?" Mark couldn't help to ask.

"So not the point here, Mark." Lexie replied, rolling her eyes.

"I still would like to have an answer."

"Of course I do." Lexie told him and as she saw the smile that spread out on his face she added. "Every breathing woman on this planet thinks you look hotter than hell."

"Thank you." Mark said, grinning broadly.

"You're welcome." Lexie chuckled before she turned serious again. "What I'm trying to say is … I'm not gonna judge you. I just would like to know."

"Okay, but it's not pretty."

"I still want to hear it."

"She was married to my best friend." Mark walked towards the bunk beds, leaning against them, facing the wall, not able to look at her while he was telling her. "We know each other forever. I was his best man. I don't even know how I could sink so low to sleep with my best friend's wife. My only defense is that I thought I was in love with her what is still no excuse. I shouldn't have touched her."

He could hear her walking towards him and she laid her hand between his shoulder blades, pressing her body lightly into his as if she wanted to give him silent support before she asked quietly. "What happened?"

"He caught us in bed together." Mark continued. "Our friendship never recovered from that. Addison and I tried to make it work but we weren't in love. Maybe it only happened because we shouldn't have slept together. We had nothing going for us than great sex. But even that faded away after we didn't have a secret affair anymore. It probably only worked because of the forbidden nature of the relationship."

"And then she got pregnant."

"Yes, but she didn't tell me. I found out months later as she threw it at my head that she aborted our child because it wasn't Derek's. She told me flat out she didn't want to have a child from me, that I would be a horrible father."

Mark could hear her draw in an angry breath before she turned him around, raising her hands to cup his face, her brown eyes boring into his before she said firmly. "She is wrong."

"I'm not so sure ..." Mark started to speak but Lexie put a finger on his lips, shaking her head.

"No, she is wrong. You are an amazing father, Mark. Christopher loves you. She had no right to take your child away from you without even talking to you."

"Maybe I wasn't ready back then, maybe ..."

"You still had the right to be part of the decision."

"Maybe."

"Definitely."

A small smirk appeared on his face and Mark lifted his hands to pull her hands down from his face, squeezing them slightly. "Thank you for defending me."

"Any time." Lexie replied softly, stepping back almost reluctantly as she said. "I need to get Christopher from daycare."

She walked slowly towards the door, turning around once again before she left the room. "Just for your information, this thought never crossed my mind. I would have never aborted your child. I admit it wasn't easy but I loved Christopher since the moment I found out about him. I hope you know that."

"I know, Lex." Mark said quietly. "But it's good to hear it."

"See you in a few hours?" Lexie asked.

"Yes. Six o'clock."

~M&L~

Roger and Seth had settled on the couch after they'd enjoyed a quick meal. Roger had waited until now to ask Seth the question that was burning on his tongue since the moment he'd heard the gossip at the hospital.

"Seth?"

"Yeah?" Seth put his finger in the book he was reading and looked up at him.

"Do you know Addison?"

Seth jumped up, the book slipping out of his hands and landing with a loud thud on the floor. "Don't tell me this bitch came to see Mark."

"Aehhm, ..." Surprised by Seth's outburst, Roger needed a second before he could continue. "Actually she talked to Lexie and Mark and from what I've heard it got pretty intense."

"I can't believe she came to New York."

"Who is she?"

"The ex-wife of Mark's best friend. The woman he had an affair with." Roger furrowed his brows and Seth admitted. "Yeah, I know he shouldn't have slept with her. He betrayed his friendship with Derek but I wouldn't be surprised if Addison had flirted with him until he just gave in."

"But apparently they didn't stay together. What happened?"

"She aborted his child because it wasn't Derek's."

"God, how awful."

"Yeah, I hope he kicked her to the curb."

"Actually Lexie did kick her." Roger said and Seth let out a surprised chuckle. "Literally?"

"No, not literally."

"What a shame. I would have loved to see that cat fight."

"Of course you would have."

"Are they both okay?"

"Lexie called me to give me the cliff notes before she went to McDonalds with Christopher and Mark. They are both fine."

"Thank God!" Seth said, slumping down into the couch again, laying his head on Roger's shoulder. Closing his eyes he inhaled his scent and he just couldn't help himself as he turned his head and pressed his lips on Roger's.

"Seth!" Roger tried to push him away but Seth didn't budge.

"What?" Seth mumbled against his lips

"We talked about this." Roger's hands tightened around the fabric of Seth's shirt but he didn't try to push him back. "I don't want you to feel obligated to ..."

"But I want to." Seth leaned back, lifting his hand to trail his finger along Roger's jaw line, enjoying the feel of his scruff under his finger.

"It feels like you want to repay me with the only thing you think you have." Roger said breathlessly. He couldn't help getting aroused as Seth's fingers played along his throat.

"No, Roger. You are wrong." Seth replied softly, shifting slightly so that he could press a soft kiss directly behind Roger's ear.

"Am I?" Roger asked barely above a whisper as he tilted his head involuntarily to give Seth better access.

"Yes, you are. Because I want you." Seth slipped his hand under Roger's shirt and trailed his fingers over his stomach, his eyes never leaving his when he lowered his hand, pressing it against Roger's erection. "And you want me."

"Not like this." Roger tried to be the voice of reason.

"Roger, it's always like this. We aren't in love with each other. Yet."

"What do you mean with yet?"

"I like you. I like you very much." Seth said. "I'm going to find a job here. We don't have to keep living together, but you are the first man who doesn't treat me like the hustler I was for a very long time. I like that feeling. I want to feel you, Roger. Behind me. In me. Because I might fall in love with you and isn't that the normal way in a relationship? Getting to know each other and having sex after the third date? Okay, we hadn't had a date yet, but we can catch up on those later."

"Seth, I still think this isn't such a great idea."

"Do you want me?"

"I can't deny the obvious, can I?"

"So stop over thinking it. We are attracted to each other. We want each other. Nothing else matters right now."

"But ..."

Seth stopped him by pressing his lips on his, forcing his tongue into his mouth as his hand slipped under his waistband, wrapping his fingers firmly around him. Roger jerked up from the couch but he wasn't able to stop him because Seth was right. He wanted him. Roger trailed his hand over his chest to his neck and he pulled Seth into him, meeting his tongue with his own, eliciting a groan out of Seth's throat.

Suddenly Seth pulled back and stood up, stretching his hand out and Roger only hesitated a second before he laid his hand into his and let Seth haul him up and pull him into the bedroom. Maybe they weren't ready to take the next step but his body had taken over and he wouldn't deny himself the pleasure of making love with Seth when he desperately wanted to.

The moment they stepped into the bedroom Seth pulled him into his arms and kissed him hungrily only interrupting the kiss to pull Roger's shirt over his head. In a matter of seconds they were both naked and tumbled onto the bed, forgetting for a few precious moments everything around them while they lost themselves in each other.

~M&L~

"When did you realize that you are in love with her?" Seth's voice startled him and Mark's eyes snapped to his friend. He needed to be more careful. One day someone else would catch him staring at Lexie and the gossip mill would spread the word and only hours later everyone would spin tales about them having hot sex in on-call rooms.

"What are you talking about?" Mark asked evasively, hoping that Seth would just drop it. But of course he didn't.

"You damn well know what I'm talking about." Seth said slightly annoyed, rolling his eyes. "Do you want to hear about Roger and my sex life instead?"

"No, for God's sake, keep that to yourself." Mark groaned before his gaze flickered back to Lexie for a second. He'd never allowed himself to even think about the four letter word but he knew that Seth was right and maybe it was time to stop denying it.

"I don't know when it happened. One minute she was the mother of my child, a woman I spent one night with, granted it was an incredible night, but it was only sex and the next she is … she is Lexie. This incredible smart woman who is an amazing surgeon and mother, and all of a sudden she isn't only sexy as hell and I don't only want to jump into bed with her. It's just …" Mark paused, closing his eyes for a brief second before he exhaled loudly. "You are right, Seth. I'm in love with her. Every time I see her my heart jumps and my body aches for her. But not only my body. I want to wake up with her, I want to see her face first thing in the morning, I want to have breakfast with her, want to spend the evenings with her, I want to fall asleep with her by my side every night."

"Wow." Seth said. "That's one hell of a love declaration. So tell me, … why do you stand in front of me while saying it and not in front of her?"

"Because I'm scared." Mark admitted. "What if she doesn't feel the same way? What if she does but we don't work out? I love Christopher, Seth. I love my son. I don't want to lose him. Besides, he still doesn't know that I'm his father. Christopher comes first. For me and for Lexie. I don't think we have the right to just give it a try without thinking about the consequences."

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Seth asked carefully. "I've never seen you like this, Mark. Maybe you were in love before we've met but ..."

"No, I wasn't." Mark interrupted him. "Not like this. This all-consuming love that almost kills me because I can't act on it."

"I think you should give it a try. At least tell her. What if she feels the same way about you? You don't want to live a life full of regrets, Mark. You are gonna break eventually. It's not as if you can evade her. She is the mother of your son. She is working with you. You see her every day."

"Fuck, Seth." Mark groaned. "Don't you think that it gets harder every day? One of these days I'm just gonna kiss her in the middle of the fucking surgical floor."

"Cursing won't help."

"I'll fucking curse as much as I want. Damn it!"

"Mark, you need to tell her. And soon."

"I know."

~M&L~

Walking into the daycare she stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Mark sitting on one of those tiny chairs, Christopher standing between his legs, both their heads bend over a book they were apparently reading.

"Dr. Sloan said you allowed it, but maybe I should have asked you first." Brenda said as she stepped beside her.

"No, it's fine." Lexie shook her head slightly. "I forgot to tell you that he can see Christopher whenever he wants."

"He is great with him." Brenda looked over to Mark and Christopher.

"I know." Lexie replied softly.

"And he is hot." Brenda added with a smirk on her face.

"Yeah, I can see that, too." Lexie chuckled slightly.

"Christopher is going to be the crush of every girl pretty soon. He has the looks of his father."

"Not only the looks." Lexie said quietly. "He has a lot more Mark in him."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, only small gestures. Like how they tilt their heads when they are listening intently. The smile when they try to charm their way out of something or when they know that I disapprove of something they've done."

"Do you realize that you are in love with him, Lexie?"

Lexie inhaled deeply and held her breath for a few seconds. She didn't need Brenda to point it out to her. She knew for quite some time that she was in love with the father of her son but tried to push it into a corner of her brain, not ready to face the truth. Exhaling slowly, she turned her gaze to Brenda. "Yes, Brenda. I know." Brenda only quirked an eye brow and Lexie sighed quietly, her gaze returning to Christopher and Mark. "But I shouldn't be in love with him."

"The heart wants what it wants."

"I have a son to care for. My heart doesn't matter."

"Lexie, he is his father." Brenda said intently. "If you could choose who you are falling in love with, wouldn't Christopher's father be the first choice?"

"I see your point, but still …" Lexie shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I don't even remember the last time I was in love. I don't know if I ever was truly in love before. It's scary."

"You need to tell him."

"I can't."

"Lexie, those feelings won't go away. You have to tell him."

"I know." Lexie whispered, her eyes glued to the two people who hold her heart in their hands.

~M&L~

They were standing in an empty hospital room where they'd decided to take a quick bite before they went home and Mark entertained her with commenting every single move of the nurses at the nurse station nearby. She didn't know that he could be that funny and she'd already almost spit out the apple juice all over him as he'd made her laugh while she was drinking. But he didn't stop and she pressed her hands against her stomach which already hurt from all the laughing.

"Oh God!" Lexie laughed so hard that tears streamed down her face. "You're better than any sitcom. I love you!"

Mark stopped mid-sentence, jerking his head around, his lungs constricted and he had no idea how he should be able to take the next breath as he stared at Lexie's face. It was just a joke, he told himself, she didn't mean it. But he could see the shock in her eyes, the realization what she just blurted out. There was no amused twinkle in them anymore. Could it be possible that she had really meant it?

"I … I mean ..." Lexie stuttered, her cheeks flushing bright red and Mark couldn't help stepping closer, his hands came up to her face and he threaded his fingers into her hair as he tilted her head up to him.

As she stared into his eyes Lexie saw the emotions swirling wildly around in them and she couldn't believe that he was still standing before her and not only that. His hands were in her hair, his thumbs caressed her cheeks and he looked as if he would kiss her any second. She'd expected him to run or at least acting uncomfortable and awkward when she blurted out that she loved him.

But he was still standing in front of her, watching her intently as if he was deciding if she had said it jokingly or if she said it because it was the truth. Of course she did mean it. But she didn't mean to blurt it out like that.

But apparently he didn't care as he leaned down and sealed her lips with his and Lexie didn't want to move, afraid that it was all only a vivid daydream but then his tongue traced carefully over her lips, his body shifted, leaned more into hers and her hands came up to his neck as she stood up on her tiptoes and deepened the kiss, her tongue darting out to meet his. The kiss became steamy, tongues clashing against each other and Lexie leaned back as she suddenly realized where they were.

"I'm sorry." Mark said breathlessly, his chest heaving with his ragged breaths.

"I'm not." Lexie replied huskily, clearing her throat before she repeated. "I'm so not sorry that you kissed me."

"You are not?" Mark asked surprised and Lexie could see a spark of hope flashing up in his eyes.

Lexie stepped closer, pressing her hands against his chest, playing with the collar of his shirt while a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "What are we gonna do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Christopher is spending the night with Emily, so ..."

"What are we waiting for?" Mark grabbed her hand and rushed towards the elevator and a happy laugh pearled out of her. "Why are you in such a hurry, Dr. Sloan?"

"Every second counts."

"Every second counts?"

The elevator pinged and the doors opened and he pushed her inside before he followed. Pressing her against the wall, he used the emergency switch the moment the door closed and he rasped directly in her ear. "Every second I'm not in you is a wasted second."

Lexie's breath hitched and he completely surprised her as he pulled her into his arms, burying his head in her hair. She wrapped her arms around his waist and enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms but his next words knocked the breath out of her. "I love you."

Lexie wanted to lean back, wanted to see his face, but his arms didn't loosen and he pressed her into his body as he continued. "It nearly killed me to not touch you, to not tell you how I feel. But I can't … I'm weak. I can't stop this now. I want you too much. Your body, your heart. I want everything."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she heard his desperate voice and she wiggled her arms between their bodies so that she could bend back and see his face. "Then why the hell did you wait so long? You could have spared me weeks of desperation."

"Spared you ..." Mark stared down at her with utter disbelief. "What?"

"I love you, too, Mark. I didn't want to fall in love with you but I did. I didn't want to say anything because I was scared you would leave us, that you might turn your back on us and Christopher would have been devastated."

"And you?" Mark asked softly. "Would you have been devastated too?"

"My heart would have broken into million pieces, but I would have picked it up and put it back together eventually. For Christopher. But it would have never felt the same."

"I would never just leave. Never, Lex. You have to believe that. No matter what happens, no matter where we end up, no matter if we work out or not. I would never leave my son."

Lexie gulped hard, the tears still shimmering in her eyes. "To be honest I think I already fell in love with you that first night."

"What?" Mark asked stunned.

"Well, obviously I fell in love with your body first. You have an amazing body." Mark chuckled surprised and Lexie added. "Is it weird if I'll say that I missed it? That I missed you? I only had one night with you but it was ..."

"Special." Mark finished her sentence and Lexie nodded, relieved that he felt the same about those one night where they didn't even talk.

Lexie leaned forward and flipped the switch. "Let's get out of here."

~M&L~

Mark didn't know how they managed to get to her apartment without getting into an accident because all he could think about while he was driving his Porsche through the streets was being inside of her.

As they were standing in front of her door, Lexie was fumbling nervously with her keys, not able to put them in the lock and Mark lost his patience and yanked them out of her hands, opening the door as fast as he could. He didn't even wait until the door fell shut behind them before he pulled her into his arms, engaging her in a searing kiss.

His hands slipped under her blouse, cupping her breasts and she arched into his touch, her nipples almost burning holes in his hands. He couldn't take it slow. Not this time and since her fingers already worked on his belt he was certain that they were both on the same page.

His fingers worked quickly, almost ripping her clothes apart as he pulled them off her. The moment his pants hit the ground he stepped out of them, only releasing her lips for the brief moment it took him to lean down and take a condom out of the front pocket of his pants.

He pulled his boxer briefs down and rolled the condom down on his length before he slipped his fingers into her panties, groaning out loud as he already found her ready for him. "God, Lex. I can't wait to be inside of you."

"Then don't." Lexie whispered against his lips, pushing her panties down and Mark lifted her up so that she could wrap her legs around his waist and he carried her to the wall, pressing her against it as he positioned himself and plunged into her with one thrust, burying himself completely in her and Lexie moaned into his mouth, digging her fingers into his ass as he took her with hard strokes, sending hot shots of pleasure through her.

His deep thrusts pushed her closer and closer to the edge and as he slipped one hand between their bodies and flicked his finger over her clit, she exploded into million pieces, screaming his name as the orgasm ripped through her body. His body pounded merciless into her while wave after wave rolled through her body before he joined her and tumbled over the edge with her.

They had still so much to talk about, so much to figure out, but right in this moment Lexie only felt completely satisfied. She didn't want to move. She wanted to stay in his arms, feeling him inside her, for all eternity. Reality would reel its head soon enough. But this night was meant to be special. They would make this night theirs and only theirs. No thoughts about tomorrow, no thoughts about what needed to be done, what needed to be said. They didn't need to speak. Not tonight. They would let their bodies speak. There was no need for words. They would talk tomorrow.

* * *

**I hope this chapter made up for the long wait. I'll also try to get a new chapter up for '**_Federal Investigation_**' before Christmas but I can't promise anything. Anyhow, I wish everyone Happy Holidays! Enjoy the time with your family!**


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm admittedly a little nervous about posting this chapter because the day of the revelation is finally here. They are gonna talk to Christopher. I hope I can live up to the expectations. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 10 **

Lexie's legs still felt a little shaky when she walked up to Emily's apartment. But the reason why she felt so shaky put a big smile on her face. She had slept with Mark and she had been fucked royally. A blush crept up her cheeks as she realized what she had just been thinking. She was a mother of a five-year-old son, she shouldn't even think about fucking. Especially not when she would see her son in just a few seconds. Thank God that he couldn't read her mind.

Lexie opened the door to Emily's apartment with her spare key and took in a deep breath. Time to stop thinking about the insanely hot sex she had had with this insanely hot man and back to thinking about Christopher and work.

She heard chatter coming from the kitchen and she squared her shoulders, shoving every thought of Mark into a corner of her brain as she walked into the room.

"Hey there." Lexie leaned down and pressed a kiss against Christopher's forehead. "Hope you didn't give Emily any trouble."

"No." Christopher replied, shoving another spoon of Lucky Charms into his mouth before he said around the milk in his mouth. "I was super good."

"Christopher, don't speak with a full mouth."

The moment Lexie looked up to meet Emily's eyes she knew that she might be able to fool Christopher but she should have known that Emily was much more perceptive than her five-year-old son.

With a wicked grin on her face Emily rubbed one hand over Christopher's hair before she told him. "Christopher, eat up your breakfast. I need to talk to your mother for a second."

"What's up?" Lexie asked non-chalantly when they walked back into the living room. "Did something happen?"

"You tell me."

"What? What did Christopher do this time?" Lexie tried to stall, knowing damn well that Emily would probably not get distracted by her diversionary tactic.

"I'm not talking about Christopher. He was an angel. It's his mother who I assume wasn't the least angelic last night."

"What do you mean?"

"You did it!" Emily replied in an excited whisper so that Christopher couldn't hear it.

"Huh?"

"You had sex."

"I didn't ..." Lexie sighed as she saw the knowing look on Emily's face and realized that she wouldn't get out of that one. "How do you even know?"

"You have this satisfied glow all over you." Emily told her, grinning broadly. "So he is as good as he looks, huh?"

"Are you psychic or something like that?" Lexie asked because she hadn't thought she was that easy to read.

"I don't need to be psychic to know that you slept with Mark." Emily replied, rolling her eyes before she added. "As if there is any other man you want to sleep with. I knew you would break eventually."

"I wouldn't call it break because ..." Lexie trailed off, getting a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Because what?" Emily pressed, curious about what would come out of Lexie's mouth next. Judging from the look on her face it would be definitely something dirty.

"Because he did not only break me."

"What?" Emily asked, completely baffled.

Lexie chuckled when she saw the stunned expression on Emily's face. "He did break me four times." Lexie waited until she could see on Emily's face that she had caught on before she continued. "And put me back together each and every time. And Emily ... it felt so good. He made me feel as if no bone was left in my body, as if every cell in my body was drawn to his hands. He … he was amazing. He made me scream so many times that I lost count and at the end I couldn't even scream anymore. I lost the ability to do anything else than feel."

"Wow." Emily sighed. "Would you mind sharing him?"

Lexie laughed out loud, shaking her head vehemently. "I don't share him. He is all mine."

"Yeah, I know. But it's such a shame to waste it all on one woman." Emily replied before she changed the subject completely. "So what do you gonna tell him first?"

"Tell who what?"

"Christopher. Now you not only have to tell him that Mark is his father but that you are also banging his father."

"Emily!" Lexie hissed, throwing a glance towards the kitchen, hoping that Christopher was too engrossed in eating his breakfast to listen to them.

"What?" Emily asked innocently.

"You are so immature sometimes."

"It's just so much fun. You should try it."

"You have enough immaturity for the both of us."

"So what is it going to be?"

"I think we'll go with the father thing first before we drop the other bomb on him."

"He is going to be thrilled." Emily said and Lexie raised her eyebrows in uncertainty, causing Emily to add. "After he got over the being angry part."

"I hope the being angry part isn't going to be that bad."

~M&L~

They were sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for Christopher to come home. Lexie had asked Roger to pick Christopher up from a friend's house where he'd spent the afternoon. She wanted to prepare herself mentally for the big revelation.

Not that it helped in the least. Her hands were sweaty and she linked them in front of her, pressing them together until her knuckles went white, worrying her lips between her teeth. Suddenly a large hand appeared in her vision and she looked up as Mark laid his hand on hers.

"Everything is gonna be okay." Mark said soothingly but Lexie could see it in his eyes that he was also worried. After all what could happen to her? She was still Christopher's mother, no matter how he reacted to the revelation but if he would accept Mark as his father that easily was an entirely different story.

Turning her hand so that she could entwine her fingers with his, she squeezed Mark's hand slightly, giving him a shaky smile. "I know."

Stretching out her other hand, she trailed her fingers over Mark's scruff, enjoying the rough sensation against her skin that shot sparks into her stomach. Even now when she was nervous like hell he managed to make her want him just by sitting next to her.

Mark turned his head and pressed a kiss against her palm. It felt so normal sitting at the kitchen table with him. She'd thought there would be so much to talk about once they'd shared a bed together but surprisingly they'd just slipped into a relationship without any bumps in the road.

Lexie thought that this was just too good to be true. Sometimes she wanted to pinch herself because being with Mark felt like a dream. But she wasn't dreaming and so much would depend on tonight. She wasn't fooling herself. Christopher's reaction would have an affect on their relationship.

Mark looked at Lexie thoughtfully. He could almost see the thoughts flitting across her forehead. He knew she was concerned that telling Christopher might change how he felt about her. Of course his feelings would not change. No matter how Christopher would react. He was in love with her and she knew that he loved her but nonetheless she seemed to be prepared for the worst. He knew it wouldn't matter what he would say. He just had to wait until after Christopher knew to show her that his feelings wouldn't go away.

Mark just wanted to say something as the door sprang open and Christopher ran into the kitchen, throwing himself in Lexie's arms.

Lexie hugged him tightly, looking over his shoulder to Roger. "Thanks for dropping him off, Roger."

"No problem." Roger kneeled in front of Christopher and stretched his fist out, grinning from ear to ear causing Lexie to roll her eyes despite her anxiety. She never understood why these two had to have this weird fist-bumping, hand-shaking ritual whenever they said good-bye but Christopher loved the ritual, his tongue appeared between his lips and he wrinkled his forehead in concentration as he shook Roger's hand in three different ways before he jumped into Roger's arms and hugged him tightly.

Roger smiled into his hair and gave Lexie a reassuring look as he pulled back to look into Christopher's face. "See you later, alligator."

"In a while, crocodile." Christopher replied happily.

The moment Roger closed the door behind him, Christopher swirled around, chatting animatedly about his afternoon activities making both Mark and Lexie smile. Lexie let him talk for a few minutes before she poured him a glass of milk and sat him down on his chair.

"We need to talk to you, Christopher. It's important."

"Okay."

"Do you remember that I told you that I lost contact with your father before I could tell him about you?"

"Yeah?" Christopher shrugged his shoulders, feeling a little uncomfortable since both Mark and Lexie had such a serious expression on their faces.

"Well, I always told you that he would love you as much as I do if he would know about you." Lexie told him, pausing briefly before she added. "I was right."

"But ... that means ... you found him?"

"Yes."

"Who is it? Who is my father?" Christopher rushed out, almost stumbling over his own words. "Why didn't you find him sooner?"

"I couldn't find him sooner." Christopher looked confused up into the face of his mother and Lexie stroked with a finger over his cheek. "I'm sorry, honey. I know it's hard to understand."

"Did you talk to him?" Christopher asked barely above a whisper.

"Actually ..." Lexie inhaled a deep breath, meeting Mark's eyes and he nodded slightly. "You already talked to him."

"I did? But who is it? I ... I don't understand."

"I thought it would be easier if you would get to know him before we are gonna tell you that he is your father."

Even though Christopher was so young he was a very smart kid and he suddenly drew the connection, his head wiping around to Mark, his eyes wide in shock.

"Christopher, Mark is your father." Lexie said quietly.

"No. No he is not." Christopher shook his head vehemently, too surprised by his mother's words. "He is ... he is Mark."

"He is your father, Christopher."

"But how ... why ... you lied to me?" Christopher's eyes shot from his mother to Mark. "All this time. You lied. You liars."

Christopher shoved Lexie's arms away and jumped down from his chair, rushing out of the room. Lexie could only stare after him and a few seconds later she flinched as she heard the slam of his door and she sighed heavily, rubbing one hand tiredly over her face.

"That was a complete success." Lexie huffed out in defeat. "I should go talk to him."

Lexie was already standing up when Mark reached out and grabbed her arm. He hadn't said anything while Lexie tried to explain the whole situation to Christopher. But he had seen the anger and hurt on Christopher's face and he somehow felt the need to talk to his son, to tell him how much he loved him.

"Can I talk to him?"

"I don't know."

"Please?" Mark said calmly but emphatically. "Give me twenty minutes."

"Okay?" Lexie said hesitantly, shrugging her shoulders uncertainly. "I guess."

"Thank you."

Mark walked slowly towards Christopher's room, knocking softly before he opened the door and peeked into his son's room. "Can I come in?"

"Go away." Christopher told him. He was lying on his bed, his back to the door, his hands curled around a teddy bear he was hugging tightly against his chest.

Mark decided that he wouldn't give up that easily and he stepped into the room, walking towards the bed and sitting down on the edge.

"I know it's a lot to take in but ..." Mark started to speak but suddenly Christopher whirled around, his face distorted in anger.

"Why didn't you want me?" He shouted and Mark could see the tears in his son's eyes.

"What?" Mark asked baffled, a little taken aback by Christopher's attack.

"Do you just don't like babies?" Christopher asked with a shaking voice. "Now you can actually play with me but babies are boring.

"No, Christopher. You're wrong." Mark said firmly.

"But how could you not know about me. I don't believe you. You are lying."

"I'm not lying. I didn't know about you. I would have never left if I would have known about you." Mark stretched his hand out carefully, putting it on Christopher's leg, glad that he didn't shy away. "You are my son, Christopher. And I love you. That's the truth."

Christopher was staring at Mark's hand and Mark could see him biting his lips but he thought it better to wait him out. After a minute of silence Christopher looked up and whispered. "You are really my father?"

"Yes, I am."

"Can I ..." Christopher was tugging at Mark's shirt nervously and Mark didn't dare to move as if Christopher was some wild animal that would jump back into the woods the moment he would move a muscle.

"What?" Mark asked carefully.

"Since you are my father ..." Christopher paused before he looked up again, his eyes full of hope. "Can I call you Dad?"

Mark's throat closed up and he had to gulp hard to keep the tears down. He didn't deserve it that Christopher was that forgiving.

"Of course." Mark said hoarsely. "I would be honored."

"Honored?" Christopher asked confused. "But all my friends are calling their fathers Dad."

"I haven't done much yet to deserve to be called Dad, have I?"

"But you helped me get my kite in the air. You told Mommy to let me swing. All the other Dads are doing stuff like that." Suddenly a small smile crept up on Christopher's face and he almost shouted. "Oh, that means you were already my Dad but I just didn't know about it."

"Yeah, I guess." Mark said, not able to argue with this kid's logic. In Christopher's eyes he had done everything a Dad would do. The only difference now was that he could actually call him Dad and not Mark. "So can you give your old man a hug?"

Christopher didn't even hesitate for a second as he let his teddy bear fall on the bed and threw himself in Mark's arms, clutching his small arms around Mark's neck. Mark inhaled deeply as he hugged his son closely against his body, struggling to keep his emotions in check so that he wouldn't start crying like a baby.

After a minute Christopher began to stir in his arms and leaned back to look into Mark's face. "Can you read me a story?"

"Sure. What do you wanna hear?"

Christopher scrambled from the bed and flitted over to his bookshelf, pulling out a book and rushing back to Mark, holding the book towards him.

"Harry Potter?" Mark asked, taking the book in his hand. He remembered vaguely the name. There was quite a hype around these books.

"He is a wizard but doesn't know about it until he is eleven." Christopher explained enthusiastically. "Then he goes to this cool wizard school and does all this funny magic stuff and fights against bad wizards who want to kill him."

"That sounds a little cruel."

"Harry Potter is awesome."

"Fine." Mark said, hiding a grin. "Hop back onto the bed."

Mark turned around in search of a stool he could sit on but Christopher jumped up on the bed and patted the place beside him. "No. You need to sit here."

When Mark lay down beside him, Christopher lifted his arm and slipped under it, resting his head on his chest and tears pricked the back of his eyes again as Mark leaned down and pressed a kiss on his son's head.

This was how Lexie found them as she came into the room to make sure that everything was alright. The scene before her made her all choked up as he saw Christopher in the arms of his father.

"Mommy, come here. Daddy is reading Harry Potter for me." Lexie's eyebrows shot up in surprise as she heard Christopher calling Mark Daddy. Her eyes searched Mark's but Christopher just continued to talk without noticing that his parents were eerily quiet. "We are at the part where the basilk is trying to kill him."

Mark raised an eyebrow in question, not sure what Christopher was talking about, wondering if it was some magical creature he'd never heard about and Lexie walked towards the bed, chuckling slightly. "He means basilisk."

"Oh, I see." Mark said, smiling broadly.

Lexie lowered herself on the bed, turning around so that she was facing Mark, saying quietly. "How did you do that?"

"The Sloan charm?" Mark grinned, way too happy that Christopher didn't stay angry at them for long.

Christopher didn't really listen but tugged at the sleeve of Mark's shirt impatiently. "Daddy, I wanna know what happens next."

"But you already know what happens next." Lexie replied.

"But now comes the super awesome part." Christopher said, pointing his finger at the page. "Read, Daddy."

"You sure are bossy." Mark chuckled.

"Pleassseee?" Christopher begged and Mark ruffled Christopher's hair with his free hand. "Okay. Then let's see what happens next."

Christopher snuggled back against Mark's chest and without Christopher noticing it Mark took Lexie's hand in his and started to read again. Lexie tightened her fingers around Mark's and scooted closer. Laying her head on his shoulder, she listened to Mark's deep voice and she had to close her eyes for a brief second to suppress the tears that were rising up in her eyes.

For the moment she would just stop worrying, stop thinking about what this meant and where it could lead. Christopher finally knew about his father and had accepted him faster than she would have expected. Every thoughts about the future could wait for a few hours.

* * *

**I know Christopher isn't old enough to read Harry Potter but it's the only 'children' book of which I know the plot. So let's just pretend he is old enough to read Harry Potter! ;-)**

**Oh, and maybe Christopher made it way too easy for Mark but I just couldn't let him be angry at Mark and Lexie for long. After all he desperately wants a father and he already knows Mark. I just couldn't wait any longer for them to be a family. :-)**


End file.
